Chapter 554: Chapter 252: T... The Tiger Has Come Down the Mountain!

This way, the appearance of the Wild South China Tiger at Xianlai would become a natural event. While bizarre, it would be logical and reasonable, possessing immense value for scientific research and conservation.

It would no longer be seen as an illegal act—Yang Qi’s illicit capture and transport of the tiger from the deep mountains of Hanxi Province.

In the first scenario, Xianlai would be the fortunate discoverer and rescuer, reaping both fame and fortune.

In the latter, it would be a serious crime.

What Yang Qi wanted was precisely this legitimacy!

"The show is about to begin."

Yang Qi glanced one last time in the direction where Lian Po had vanished into the mountain woods. He then looked away, mobilized his Magical Power, and projected it outward to erase all traces of himself and the tiger from the shore.

Then, with a flicker of movement, he retraced his steps to the parking spot like a phantom.

He had to get back to the zoo before everyone at Xianlai went into an uproar about the tiger. He needed to handle this sudden "tiger on the loose" incident in his capacity as the director—one who just happened to be at home when the emergency call came in.

The SUV’s engine roared to life again, heading for the Xianlai Zoo.

Wang Xiaoyuan let out a huge yawn and rubbed his tired, gritty eyes.

Six in the morning was when a person felt most tired, especially for security guards like them who patrolled the graveyard shift.

He and his partner, Zhu Wen, slowly rode their electric patrol cart along the zoo’s inner concrete loop.

The cart’s headlights cut through the last vestiges of pre-dawn darkness, illuminating the silent road ahead.

"The Lantern Festival isn’t even here yet, and all the animals are sleeping soundly. It’s just us, up like a couple of night owls."

Zhu Wen grumbled, rubbing his hands, which were stiff from the cold.

"Just a little longer. Our shift is almost over. Once we finish patrolling the Wetland Birdwatching Area, we can head back for some hot soy milk."

Wang Xiaoyuan, on the other hand, was more alert. He was a recently discharged veteran and was quite satisfied with his job as a security guard at a large establishment like Xianlai. He took his patrols seriously.

The patrol cart slowly approached the Wetland Birdwatching Area.

The area was vast, designed to simulate a natural wetland environment. It featured a wide expanse of water, reed marshes, small islands, and wooden boardwalks connecting the various points.

A thin morning mist shrouded the water’s surface, and visibility wasn’t great. The only illumination came from the dim, yellow light of the lamps at the edge of the zoo.

"Wait!"

Wang Xiaoyuan suddenly slammed on the brakes, and the patrol cart came to a stop with a SCREECH.

His eyes went wide, fixed on the edge of the wetland ahead—on the shallows near a large patch of reeds.

"What’s wrong, Brother Yuan?" Zhu Wen asked, startled. He followed Wang Xiaoyuan’s gaze.

There, in the interplay of shadow and light from the hazy morning mist and dim yellow lamps, a massive, powerful, yellow-and-black figure stood starkly on the shallows by the reeds.

Its back was to them, its head slightly lowered. Broad shoulders and a prominent spine were visible beneath a gaunt-looking coat of fur. A thick, powerful tail with black rings swayed slowly, unconsciously, from side to side.

Under its forepaws, it seemed to have pinned something fluffy. ’Is it... burying its head to eat?’

A faint scent of blood drifted through the air.

"Wh-what is that thing?"

Zhu Wen’s voice trembled. He rubbed his eyes, thinking his all-nighter was making him see things.

’There aren’t any animals this big in the zoo.’

’The lioness enclosure is nowhere near here!’

’Besides, the lioness isn’t this big, and its coloring is all wrong.’

Wang Xiaoyuan’s heart began to pound uncontrollably. A cold dread shot up from the base of his spine to the crown of his head.

’He’d never seen one in person, but he’d seen them countless times on TV and in picture books!’

’That silhouette... that posture... that yellow-and-black fur...’

"A... a t-..."

His throat went dry, and his tongue felt tied in knots. The word, a symbol of majesty and power, was on the tip of his tongue but was choked back by overwhelming fear and disbelief.

Just then, perhaps having heard the screech of the patrol cart’s brakes or instinctively sensing the prying eyes, the massive figure, which had been engrossed in its meal, suddenly froze.

The next instant, it slowly turned its enormous head, revealing white markings on its face.

The dim yellow light pierced the thin mist, finally illuminating its face clearly.

Its majestic, amber eyes, like two burning will-o’-the-wisps, pierced the fog and bored straight into Wang Xiaoyuan and Zhu Wen, who sat completely petrified in the patrol cart a dozen yards away.

Dark red blood and a few grey-brown duck feathers clung to the creature’s mouth.

At its feet lay the disemboweled, lifeless body of a wild duck.

Time seemed to freeze.

Wang Xiaoyuan and Zhu Wen felt their blood run cold. Their scalps tingled, and their limbs were frozen, unable to move.

They could clearly hear their own hearts pounding like drums. They could smell the air, a mixture of damp mist, blood, and an indescribable, primal scent—the musk of an apex predator.

’A... a tiger!’

’A real... live tiger!’

’A Wild South China Tiger that radiated danger, fresh from a kill, now baring its fangs at them!’

"ROAR—"

It wasn’t a high-pitched cry, but a low, deep roar full of warning and menace. It boomed like muffled thunder over the silent wetlands.

It was enough to make the reeds tremble and Wang Xiaoyuan’s and Zhu Wen’s legs turn to jelly.

The tiger didn’t pounce. It merely curled its lips, revealing bone-white, sharp canines. A continuous, low growl rumbled in its throat as it crouched slightly, adopting a classic threatening, pre-attack stance.

"T-Tiger! There’s a tiger loose!!"

"R-Run... Run!!!"

If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know < report chapter > so we can fix it as soon as possible.