Working in a Zoo with Beast Taming System

Just as Yang Qi’s thoughts were racing,

The elderly woman was already walking over with a smile. Her gaze was full of admiration as she proactively offered her hand.

"Hello, Yang Qi. I’m Song Chunfang. I used to work here at the Zoo for some time. I’m retired now, but I come back to visit every so often."

"I’ve heard Xiaoou and the others mention you, the ’Druid,’ for a while now, and today I finally get to meet you. You’re as young and accomplished as they said, truly remarkable."

"Teacher Song was our Zoo’s second director," Cheng Xiaoou added quietly from the side.

’So she’s the former director!’

Yang Qi felt a sense of clarity. He quickly extended both hands to shake the elderly woman’s, saying respectfully, "Hello, Director Song. I’m Yang Qi. The whole ’Druid’ thing... it’s just my coworkers joking around. You don’t have to take it seriously."

’It’s confirmed!’

’Song Chunfang really is the "Supreme Elder"!’

’The second director of Donghua Wildlife Park! One step removed from the "Founding Master" herself!’

"Grandma Song."

Cheng Yao squeezed in just then and called out sweetly.

"Oh, Little Yaoyao."

Song Chunfang let go of Yang Qi’s hand and took Cheng Yao’s, her smile warm and kind. "You’ve grown so big! I remember the last time I saw you, you were only this tall..."

She gestured with her hand to show a very low height.

"Well, I was only ten back then," Cheng Yao said, her tone a little whiny and cute.

"That’s right. It’s been over ten years. Time really flies," Song Chunfang said with a sigh, patting the back of Cheng Yao’s hand.

"Hello, former Director!"

"Former Director, you’re back!"

The keepers and other staff members nearby also chimed in with respectful greetings.

"Hello, everyone. It’s good to see you all," Song Chunfang replied, smiling and nodding to each of them. She was warm and approachable.

She then turned to Cheng Xiaoou. "Xiaoou, let’s not disturb the young people while they’re working. We can go wander somewhere else."

But as soon as she said that, she seemed to remember something. She looked at Yang Qi and said gently, "Actually, Xiao Yang, if you aren’t busy, would you mind walking with me?"

"Sure..."

Yang Qi had just agreed when he remembered he still had "official business" to attend to. He paused awkwardly. "Um, Director Song, I still need to go talk with the male alpaca, Da Bing, and relay the female alpacas’ message to him. I have to get him to... uh, stop favoring Aili exclusively. So..."

"Oh, right, right. I forgot. Business first."

Song Chunfang realized her oversight, an apologetic look on her face. "You go ahead and handle your work, then. You can come find me later. Xiaoou and I were just about to walk over to the staff living area anyway."

"Xiao Yang, Teacher Song was the very first person to live in the dorm you’re in now," Cheng Xiaoou explained with a smile.

"Oh, so that’s why."

It dawned on Yang Qi.

’No wonder the system prompt said, "The Supreme Elder has graced us with her presence."’

’This former Director isn’t just a "Supreme Elder" in title—my current "abode" was once her "Dao Field"!’

"Please take your time, Director Song. I’ll finish up here as quickly as I can and come find you."

"No rush, no rush. You take care of your work," Song Chunfang said, nodding with a smile. Accompanied by Cheng Xiaoou, she turned and walked away.

Cheng Yao’s eyes darted around. She turned to the keepers and said, "Since we’ve found the root of the alpaca problem, I’ll leave the follow-up mediation and observation to you all!"

With that, she hurried to catch up, affectionately taking Song Chunfang’s other arm. The three of them gradually walked off into the distance, talking and laughing.

Yang Qi watched them go, then turned and gestured to the keeper.

"Let’s go. Take me to see Da Bing."

The two of them went to the temporary isolation pen on the other side of the enclosure.

It was a small, separate pen, lined with clean bedding straw. 𝕗𝚛𝚎𝚎𝐰𝗲𝗯𝗻𝚘𝚟𝚎𝗹.𝕔𝐨𝕞

The male alpaca, Da Bing, was standing dejectedly in a corner. His curly, cream-colored fleece, which should have been fluffy and smooth, was now a mess, speckled with bits of grass and dirt. A few faint bite marks were even visible on his neck.

His head was bowed, and his long ears drooped listlessly. His whole demeanor screamed, ’I’m so hurt’ and ’I’m so depressed.’

Yang Qi told the keeper to wait outside, then opened the small gate, stepped inside, and closed it behind him.

Sensing someone enter, Da Bing merely twitched his eyelids. He gave Yang Qi a lazy glance and let out a feeble grunt, not even bothering to lift his head completely.

Even with Yang Qi’s passive ability, Ten Thousand Beasts Affinity, he only managed to elicit the most minimal of reactions.

After confirming the newcomer posed no immediate threat, the alpaca returned to wallowing in its own world of despair.

Yang Qi walked over and stopped a short distance away. Suppressing a smile, he activated his Basic Spirit Communication Technique and spoke.

"Da Bing, you can’t go on like this. You’re the head of the family. How did you end up in such a sorry state? You’re losing control of your household."

[None of your business.]

Da Bing retorted instinctively.

But a moment later, he jerked his head up. His large eyes went wide as he stared at Yang Qi in disbelief, his long neck instinctively pulling back.

[You... Two-legged Beast? You can speak our language?!]

Yang Qi ignored the question and cut straight to the chase. "Da Bing, why are you only interested in Aili? What’s wrong with the other females?"

The moment Aili’s name was mentioned, the look in Da Bing’s eyes changed completely.

The dejection and surprise from moments before vanished, replaced by a look of near-infatuation.

[Because Aili is the most beautiful.]

[Her fleece is as dark and glossy as the night, and her eyes are as lovely as the stars.]

[Her calls are the gentlest, too.]

The corner of Yang Qi’s mouth twitched.

’Good lord,’ Yang Qi thought. ’This description, this tone... he’s the spitting image of a "fatuous king," so infatuated with his "Demon Consort" that he’s neglecting his entire "kingdom"!’

"Ahem."

Yang Qi cleared his throat, collected himself, and began to reason with the alpaca. "I get it, Aili is beautiful. But Da Bing, you can’t *only* be with her. That’s not going to work."