Working in a Zoo with Beast Taming System

He checked the time; they had already been delayed for quite a while.

Just then, Chen Shuangquan, having finished dealing with the Ma Family’s matter, hurried over.

"Advisor Yang, Captain Luo, Yu Station, I’m so sorry for the delay. The kid’s situation is taken care of. Shall we head to Liujiagou now?" Chen Shuangquan asked.

"Alright, let’s go," Yang Qi nodded.

The group got back into their vehicles and drove off into the night, toward their main destination:

Liujiagou Village.

...

It was nearly ten o’clock at night when their vehicles reached the small square at the entrance to Liujiagou Village.

The old village chief, having been notified in advance, was already waiting there with two other village officials.

When he saw the police car and Yang Qi’s SUV pull to a stop, the old chief hurried over. He gripped Yang Qi’s hand tightly, his rough palms conveying a mixture of gratitude and anticipation.

"Expert Yang, we’ve been waiting so long for you. That weasel has been tormenting our village. None of us can sleep soundly at night."

"We’re so grateful you’ve come to help!"

"You’re too kind, Chief. I’ll certainly do my best," Yang Qi replied modestly.

The old chief enthusiastically led them into the village committee’s humble office, serving tea along with home-roasted peanuts and sunflower seeds.

Gathered under a dim, yellow light, they sat and discussed the weasel attacks in greater detail, adding new information and identifying the locations most likely to be hit next.

Before they knew it, it was past eleven o’clock.

"That should be enough. Let’s get to the site and prepare."

Yang Qi checked the time, then stood up and said.

"Right. We’ll do as Advisor Yang says."

Luo Kaifeng nodded.

The group filed out of the village committee office.

The mountain village was especially silent at night, with only the occasional dog bark and the whisper of the wind breaking the stillness.

Luo Kaifeng, Yu Bo, Chen Shuangquan, the old chief, and a few other village officials remained at the relatively safe perimeter at the foot of the mountain, ready to provide backup at a moment’s notice.

"Bai Wan, Hu Zi, Leopard, you three stay here, too. Follow Captain Luo’s orders," Yang Qi instructed the three dogs.

The weasel was extremely vigilant, and the scent of dogs could easily give them away.

"Whimper..."

Though reluctant, the three dogs obeyed. They trotted over to Luo Kaifeng and lay down obediently at his side.

Yang Qi took Xiaojiu and Ta Xue with him. Carrying a small backpack containing night-vision goggles, recording equipment, and other tools, he melted into the darkness, moving toward the house the old chief had identified as the most likely target.

This house was also located at the edge of the village, near the foot of the mountain.

Its backyard bordered a dense thicket and several large trees, with the chicken coop built in a corner.

Based on previous patterns and experience, this place had the highest chance of being attacked tonight.

Instead of entering the yard, Yang Qi found an old camphor tree about twenty meters from the coop. He chose a spot with dense branches and a clear line of sight, then silently climbed up.

Xiaojiu and Ta Xue followed close behind, leaping gracefully onto adjacent branches. They each found a comfortable, hidden spot and settled down.

From their perch in the tree, he could use the night-vision goggles to clearly observe the coop and a large surrounding area without being easily detected by any small animals on the ground.

At the stroke of midnight, the system tallied his rewards. His contribution points totaled exactly one hundred.

Yang Qi decisively went for the draw!

[Congratulations, Host! You have received: Hundred Beasts Detoxification Powder]

’Hundred Beasts Detoxification Powder?’

Intrigued, Yang Qi immediately checked the item’s description.

[Hundred Beasts Detoxification Powder: A specialized antidote for animals. It can neutralize most common toxins that have entered an animal’s system. The powder itself emits a scent that is alluring to most mammals and birds. It is water-soluble, and animals will be drawn to drink it of their own accord.]

’This is good stuff!’

Yang Qi’s eyes lit up.

’This stuff is basically a miracle first-aid drug for wild animals that have been poisoned or have ingested something harmful. I can save them without having to force-feed them the medicine.’

’And that alluring scent... it might have other uses in certain situations.’

Satisfied, Yang Qi stored it away.

Then, he collected himself, closed his eyes, and began to regulate his breathing.

Xiaojiu and Ta Xue grew still as well. Their ears twitched slightly, and their pupils glinted faintly in the dark, like a pair of hyper-vigilant sentinels.

The minutes ticked by.

The night air in the mountain forest grew heavy with chill.

The occasional hoot of a distant owl only served to deepen the silence.

They waited for over two long hours.

It was just past two in the morning, the peak time for the previous attacks.

Yang Qi was silently circulating his Cultivation Technique.

Suddenly—

[Warning! Warning! A Great Demon is approaching at high speed! Please prepare for engagement, Host!]

’It’s here!’

Yang Qi instantly snapped out of his meditative state. He pushed his Cultivation Technique to its limits to heighten his senses and grabbed the night-vision goggles hanging from his chest.

Beside him, Xiaojiu and Ta Xue’s eyes flew open at the exact same moment. Their ears swiveled forward, pointing toward the thicket to their right, and a nearly inaudible, low growl rumbled in their throats.

It was the instinctive reaction of a feline that had detected a threat and entered hunting mode.

Soon, Yang Qi sensed an aura approaching the backyard chicken coop at incredible speed from the edge of the woods to their front right.

A moment later, he could even hear a faint RUSTLE as it stepped on fallen leaves.

Yang Qi decisively raised the night-vision goggles, adjusted the focus, and peered in that direction.

Through the eerie green filter of the goggles, he saw a dark shadow, slightly smaller than a housecat but exceptionally lean and solid. It slid out from the shadows of the thicket like a phantom, its movements swift and fluid, making not a single extraneous sound.

Its target was clear: the chicken coop.

It was none other than the "Huang Daxian" that had been plaguing Liujiagou Village!

In the green-tinged view of the night-vision goggles, the weasel hugged the ground as it closed in on the coop.