this chapter is brought to you by mio
as translator, proofreader and editor!
The voice sank into silence.
At the same time, the tiger reluctantly closed its eyes and was carried away along with two others, separated and locked in their respective enclosures.
Ling Yue was momentarily stunned, an unbelievable thought resurfacing in her mind: could the owner of that voice really be the big tiger?
“Ling Yue, you…” The Zoo Director’s fawning voice rang out again. With so many people watching, many were holding up their phones to record videos; the news might have already spread!
The hero who saved someone from the tiger’s mouth—what a big title!
The Zoo Director’s mind must have flashed through countless marketing plans. With so many internet celebrities nowadays, why couldn’t their zoo take a shot at it?
Of course, the key still lay with Ling Yue.
He rubbed his fingers together, about to say something, when Ling Yue slightly curled her lips, her eyes glinting coldly, and directly interrupted him: “But I remember I already submitted my resignation; you were quite happy about it.”
She slightly lowered her gaze, deliberately emphasising the word ‘happy.’
The Zoo Director Zhao Fang’s face changed dramatically, stammering out an explanation.
But this sentence was heard by countless people.
The parents of the child were even more sensitive, catching the implication in her words, and immediately became agitated, asking, “Resignation? What happened? Why are you leaving, benefactor?”
This question stirred up a huge wave, the brave hero who saved someone was actually leaving? Many people instinctively looked at Zoo Director Zhao Fang, hoping he would provide an explanation.
The gazes from all directions closed in tightly, causing Zhao Fang to break out in a cold sweat: “W-We certainly haven’t mistreated her!” He quickly changed his tone, speaking earnestly: “Resigning should be a good thing; she is a top student from Capital University, working at our zoo is just wasting her talent.”
Zhao Fang’s eyes darted around, but the more he spoke, the more resolute he became. His righteous demeanour made many visitors skeptical; perhaps they were overthinking it?
At that moment, a regular visitor in the crowd suddenly shouted, “Hey, I finally remembered! Isn’t this the mermaid from the aquarium?”
“How did she end up in Tiger Mountain? What happened to the original keeper? I remember it was a young man; why did a girl have to jump out to save the day at such a critical moment?”
“He’s right here!”
With that shout, everyone turned their angry stares towards that sound.
“Taking advantage of everyone’s attention being on Ling Yue, the zookeeper who was preparing to sneak away was caught off guard, his heart racing, and he didn’t dare to face anyone with his guilty expression.
“Turns out you are the zookeeper?” Someone among the tourists suddenly realised, “Haven’t you been here all along? Just now, when someone was saving a life, you just stood there watching?”
“Oh my goodness, aren’t you ashamed? You’re still a zookeeper at the Tiger Mountain!”
“Why are you running? Where did you go just now? It took a little girl to step up! You’re embarrassing all of us men! Everyone, take a picture of this coward!”
The zookeeper panicked; he had faced many storms in life, but hearing about his online disgrace made him unable to hold it together. He blurted out, “No, it’s not me! I’m not the zookeeper at Tiger Mountain; she is!”
He pointed at Ling Yue: “She is the current zookeeper at Tiger Mountain, and if something happens there, she should be responsible! This has nothing to do with me!”
“You liar!” a tourist exclaimed indignantly, “I saw her with Jingjing at the aquarium yesterday, dancing with the little dolphin over there. How come she’s at Tiger Mountain today?”
“She started working in less than a day? Didn’t even go through training, and it’s the most ferocious Tiger Mountain. Which idiot thought this was a good idea? Isn’t this just asking for trouble?!”
Zhao Fang’s face turned as dark as a pot bottom because he was the one who gave the order. Before he could panic, a junior staff member had already thrown him under the bus, saying, “How would I know? The Zoo Director notified me… it’s all his fault…”
As he spoke, he covered his face and held up the WeChat chat records high.
Even the tourists nearby knew how unreliable this situation was! The police officer responsible for recording the incident, hearing this, said kindly to Zhao Fang, “Please come with us to the station; we need to clarify the truth of the matter.”
Zhao Fang was taken aback, wiping his sweat, “No, Officer, our big zoo can’t do without me; I still have business to attend to…”
His protests gradually diminished under the police’s gaze.”
As for business, with such a major incident occurring at the zoo, nearly resulting in a loss of life, it was naturally impossible to continue.
At this moment, the tourists had surrounded the scene in layers, and now hearing that this incident was connected to another matter, many were furious!
The angriest were the parents of the girl in danger.
Fang Qinghui kept patting her child’s back, soothing her daughter, and when she looked up to meet her husband’s gaze, she was filled with rage!
They had been married for many years and had only this one daughter, whom they cherished more than their own eyes. The accident today had already chilled her heart; if it weren’t for Ling Yue risking her life to save their daughter, their family would have fallen apart!
Now hearing that there was a reason behind this, she looked at her husband: “Child’s father.”
No need for further words; her husband understood immediately.
Though he wasn’t very powerful, he had his own connections in the capital city and could speak a few words here and there.
Watching the villain being led away by the police, the tourists clapped in satisfaction, only to realise that the hero who saved the girl, Ling Yue, had already disappeared.
Fang Qinghui looked around in frustration: “Where’s the benefactor?”
Her husband: “…”
Just now, everyone’s attention had been on the unscrupulous boss, and no one had noticed…
By the side of the asphalt road, the lush green trees cast a cool shadow as Ling Yue hurried home, surprised gazes falling to the side.
Just ten minutes ago, she had been bound by the system.
The system, in a mechanical voice, told her that the voice she had suddenly heard in her head was the tiger’s inner voice. Not only that, but she could also hear the voices of other animals, such as—
The french bulldog napping beside the big tree in front of her, its round body as plump as a washing machine drum, with its short chin resting on its little paws.
When it saw her stop, it didn’t move, only its round, glassy eyes turned towards her: “Oh, it’s a person. What? Never seen such a beautiful dog before? Too bad I already have an owner; I’m a dog you’ll never get!”
Ling Yue: “… No need to be so confident; I can barely take care of myself.”
The buldog’s ears perked up: “Are you talking to me?”
Ling Yue nodded.
The air suddenly fell silent for three seconds, and the Bulldog yelped, leaping up, its sturdy legs darting away at an angle, shouting as it ran, “Help! I’ve encountered a lunatic!”
Ling Yue watched its fleeing figure, and according to her thoughts, the system automatically displayed the Bulldog’s attribute sheet:
[Species: French Bulldog]
[Gender: Male]
[Age: Five and a half years]
[Personality: Gentle]
[Skill: Guarding the house]
[Wish: None]
Ling Yue was left speechless, finally understanding the system’s function. Besides the initial self-introduction, the subsequent attribute panel was for her to better understand the animals.
Except for one skill: if she fulfilled an animal’s wish, Ling Yue could gain one of its skills. Of course, animals with wishes were rare, and that Bulldog just now was not among them.
“Hahahahahaha, the stupid dog finally ran away!”
pls do not share this anywhere or u will always stub ur toe when u walk past a door frame !! this translation has been stolen from mioscorner.com, pls only read there i’m begging u :kneels:
Ling Yue looked up; on a branch of the big tree was a bird’s nest, and a black crow stood at the edge of the nest, cawing with laughter: “I don’t know why that stinky dog suddenly ran away today, but it saved me a lot of trouble!”
“That stinky dog is really too bad, always napping under the tree, making it impossible for the birds to sleep!”
“You’re the best, big sister! That dog must have been scared away by your aura!”
Several younger crows behind her vied for attention, cawing incessantly, making it painful for people’s ears.
A gentle warm breeze blew by, the weather starting to get hotter.
Ling Yue shook her head, controlling the attribute screen of the crows to disappear, and decided to check her balance to see if it was enough to unlock a shared bicycle. Suddenly, she heard the voice of the crow sister above her:“Sisters, hurry up and follow me!“
“The flapping of wings mixed with excited shouts: “Caw caw caw! This guy is a thief; I saw him robbing a jewelry store, and humans are offering a reward of five hundred thousand! He even buried a bag of shiny stuff by the big willow tree at the East Lake; I heard him say he’s going to dig it up today, sisters, charge!”
Ling Yue: “Five hundred thousand yuan reward?”
[t/n] approx. 69k usd
She instinctively looked across, where a scavenger uncle, carrying a garbage bag and dressed in tattered clothes, was walking towards her. Upon noticing her gaze, his wrinkled face broke into an awkward smile.
He looked very uneasy, very shy.
His appearance was that of a typical scavenger; if it weren’t for the crows, Ling Yue might not have even noticed him.
She finally recalled the sensational jewellery robbery case in the eastern part of the city from half a month ago. That incident made headlines in the capital’s news, and there was an overwhelming amount of information online. It was said that the thieves had stolen jewellery worth over ten million, the entire city was on lockdown, and the police issued a notice stating that the suspects had not yet left the capital.
He was coming closer!
Ling Yue’s heart skipped a beat, and she pulled out her phone to start scrolling through Douyin. You stay introverted, and I’ll stay socially anxious; let’s not talk to each other.
t/n: chinese tiktok
As for what she was thinking, what a talent!”
If she remembered correctly, the jewellery store was just a street away from here. He actually swaggered onto the street disguised as a scavenger. Ling Yue had seen the wanted poster of the man; aside from the gender, nothing else matched.
Not to mention her, even the police probably wouldn’t recognize him.
But as the saying goes, man proposes, but heaven disposes.
That big willow tree by the East Lake? It was way too close; Ling Yue often played there as a child.
At that moment, a few crows flew by, leaving behind a few remarks: “Isn’t he planning to run away today?”
“Let’s hurry, maybe we can grab something!”
Ling Yue’s gaze sharpened, and she quickly dialled the police, turning back on her heels.
On this scorching hot day, the East Lake Park was devoid of any shadows; it was simply too sunny.
Ling Yue wiped her face and noticed a patch of grass by the tree that looked rather bare. She reached over, and the soil was particularly loose. She took a shovel and didn’t dig for long before the sharp tip hit something.
Half of a grey, dusty sack was buried in the ground. Ling Yue pulled it up, and the open bag almost blinded her with its golden shine!
A sack full of gold and gems!
Ling Yue didn’t have time to marvel; suddenly, her ears perked up, hearing the distant cawing of crows: “Sister, someone is digging for treasure here!”
“Quick, follow! I want to see the shiny stuff! Shiny!”
Ling Yue’s heart raced. This group of crows had been following the thief; if they were here, the thief must be too, and she couldn’t be caught.
She didn’t know where her strength came from, but she quickly stuffed the heavy items into a tote bag, swiftly covered the hole, and stomped on it a few times.
As she came out, she bumped right into him. Ling Yue held the bag and walked past him as if it were nothing.
In that fleeting moment, cold sweat broke out on Ling Yue’s back.
It was too risky!
If it weren’t for the crows saying he was going to settle accounts today, she would never have stepped forward but would have waited for the police to arrive!
Behind the tree.
The jewellery thief, carrying a shrivelled snake skin bag, had finally found his opportunity just yesterday. He was waiting to take this pile of gold away and then soar freely!
A smile crept onto the man’s honest face as he looked around; no one was there.
He felt relieved, found the spot he had marked earlier, and suddenly saw several footprints. He poked his finger in, and the fresh soil turned out to be very loose and moist. But what about what was underneath?
Damn, it had been stolen!
He suddenly remembered the woman he had bumped into earlier, charging towards her like an angry bull!
Ling Yue had already run off, the heavy bag pressing against her back. The weather was hot, and as she ran, crows circled above her, cawing loudly.
“Wow, she’s amazing! The jewellery thief just noticed her!”
“He’s coming after us, to the right! Hey, little girl, turn left!”
Ling Yue immediately turned around and ran towards the park entrance.
At the same time, several cars stopped at the entrance of East Lake Park, and a few young men in casual clothes moved swiftly, with one seemingly leading the group.
Zhao Lin, the general manager of Auspicious Dragon Jewellery, stepped out surrounded by his subordinates. Upon seeing the leading man, he smiled and said, “Captain Lin, what brings you here?”
The man had handsome features and a cold demeanor. He rolled up his sleeves, revealing a pale wrist, his long fingers delicate like a piece of art displayed in a gallery. Little did people know how many criminals those fingers had swiftly apprehended.
His gaze was as sharp as a drawn blade, glancing over with a glint: “Did you receive that call too?”
Zhao Lin immediately became serious: “You did too? She told me it was at the entrance of East Lake Park. Since there hasn’t been much going on at the store these days, I came out to follow up.”
If he hadn’t accidentally pulled at the blisters on his mouth while speaking out of anxiety, Lin Shaoze felt the credibility of his words would have increased by another point.
The Auspicious Dragon Jewellery case had caused extremely adverse effects, with nearly ten million worth of jewellery stolen, and the criminals had remained elusive, which was like a slap in the face to the police.
Auspicious Dragon Group had offered a reward of five hundred thousand, and the police also had a reward out, launching a thorough search. However, due to the criminals’ cunning methods and swift actions, there had been no leads until now.
In contrast, countless people were drawn by that five hundred thousand yuan reward. In fact, it shouldn’t have been necessary for Lin Shaoze, the captain of the criminal police team, to come personally; it was the woman’s confident voice on the phone that made it sound as if she had seen the thief’s treasure with her own eyes, firmly stating the location.
Completely different from the hesitant voices of others.
Lin Shaoze keenly sensed some unusual clues. Before coming, he had already reviewed the information on the East Lake, an old park built decades ago, usually frequented only by nearby elderly people. The key point was that it was only a ten-minute walk from the crime scene!
The criminals couldn’t possibly carry dozens of pounds of gold and jewelry for long. To avoid the police’s attention and escape quickly, they would definitely choose to dispose of the stolen goods as soon as possible!
The man’s sharp gaze seemed to penetrate the iron gate, falling far away.
They had no idea what kind of tense chase was happening in the park.
In terms of pace and speed, Ling Yue couldn’t possibly match the thief, but she had the crows as her GPS navigation, providing real-time reminders. Besides, East Lake Park wasn’t that big.
She pressed her hand against the gate, finally arriving.
Crows circled overhead, cawing loudly: “Caw caw caw, the jewel thief is coming after us!”
Ling Yue pursed her lips and chuckled lightly: “It’s okay, the person I’m waiting for has also arrived.”
In the sky, the excited crows flapped their wings, momentarily pausing mid-air, suddenly letting out a loud caw.
“Are you talking to me?”
“Ah ah ah, help! She can speak bird language!”
Ling Yue had already opened the gate, and what greeted her was not just the scorching sunlight, but also a group of people outside. She quickly locked onto Zhao Fang, the only person she recognised among them.
Ling Yue had seen him online, depicted as the general manager of the Auspicious Dragon Jewellery branch in the eastern city, although it was only once. But it didn’t matter, since she had a photographic memory.
Ling Yue: “Manager Zhao, I am the one who reported the case earlier.”
“What I’m holding is the stolen goods, please wait a moment.”
She pretended to listen intently, her mysterious demeanour causing people to instinctively hold their breath. Aside from the skilled officers, the frontmost Lin Shaoze frowned: what a strange person.
In the next moment, a piercing bird cry rang out, and Ling Yue suddenly flung the bag she was holding. What happened next was astonishing.
Ling Yue swung hard, and dozens of pounds of gold jewelry smashed onto the man who rushed out, producing a sound that made one’s teeth ache.
The man staggered, his brain reeling from the impact. In the dizzying chaos, he only had time to see Ling Yue’s face, which matched his guess perfectly—it was that wretched woman!
Ling Yue: “I want to file a report: he is the mastermind behind the jewellery theft case in the eastern city!”
starting off with a bang (quite literally for the thief) HAHAHA
–‘{@
The little critters
Freaking out when humans talk
Is just amusing.