Chapter 68

The management of the Forest Zoo was clearly divided. As for the procurement of daily supplies, Zhi Lixuan had always entrusted this task to his partner Guanghao. Now that there was a problem, it was obvious who should be held accountable – directly pointing at the supervisor in charge.

The man with the square face, suddenly under scrutiny, was either shocked or feeling guilty. After a long moment of confusion, he finally reacted, denying the allegations: "How could that be! Don't listen to their nonsense! How could I possibly alter the zoo's daily operating expenses randomly?! Do you suspect me of embezzlement?!"

His expression shifted rapidly as he denied the accusations, finding it unbelievable. The change in feed had always been done in collaboration with his most trusted subordinates within the zoo, with extreme caution and secrecy. Logically, there was no way this information could have been leaked. Yet, that young man, who interacted with the black swan, exposed the truth and even mentioned the brand of the replaced feed. How was that possible?

Could it be that these people were sent by Zhi Lixuan to investigate him?! Yes, ever since the Forest Zoo expanded, they had encountered numerous conflicts in management principles. However, as a partner, he had deep roots in the zoo, making it impossible for Zhi Lixuan to unseat him without valid reasons. Wouldn't Zhi Lixuan have to dig up dirt on him to justify any action?

Still unable to believe that someone could communicate with animals, he desperately searched for a more acceptable explanation in his mind. But as soon as he denied the allegations, the animals in the enclosure collectively became agitated. The flamingos started singing loudly, while the black swan, with its fiery temperament, flapped its wings and charged straight at him!

In that instant when the square-faced man felt the biting pain, he was utterly stunned. The fear he had been suppressing surged – how could this be possible?!

Being bitten by a goose was no joke; it would leave a psychological scar on any normal person, let alone being attacked by a flock of them. Their fighting power might equate to about half a Wei Xi. The sight of them aggressively chasing after the partner left Zhi Lixuan dumbfounded. Wei Xi heard the furious voice of the peacock spirit chiming in: "The evidence is solid, yet you still deny it! Not only did you change the feed in Swan Lake, but you also replaced the fresh meat in the carnivore section with frozen meat! Do you think they're fools who can't tell the difference? Feeding them frozen ducks in the freezing cold, do you have any conscience?!"

After her scolding, she glared at Zhi Lixuan, her eyes filled with anger and profound disappointment.

Zhi Lixuan felt a bit lost under her complex gaze: "..............."

The peacock knew it couldn't reason with this, but it still felt deeply aggrieved. Before it had become a spirit, it had struggled to survive in the mountains, often hearing its fellow creatures envy the seemingly divine lives of birds in zoos: they ate and slept all day, with visitors praising their beautiful feathers. It had heard so much that even after becoming a spirit, it had been infatuated with the zoo, believing that anyone who worked there was a success in bird life. Was this just about the stolen feed? No! It was also about its shattered dreams!

Gathering its courage, it confessed regretfully to Wei Xi, "Chairman, I was wrong. Apart from marketing, how can this place compare to our Taicang Sect? From now on, I'll work hard and never be unfaithful again!"

Zhi Lixuan was utterly confused. "???"

Wei Xi had previously heard Unity mention that the group of employees they had hired from Huamao Mountain seemed to have plans to jump ship, always talking about the zoo. They were already sentient beings, so Wei Xi couldn't kill or eat them. For a while, he had shared Zhi Lixuan's headache, worrying about their lack of dedication to their jobs.

Seeing the cohesion within the Taicang Sect rise to a new level, he felt that the team-building event had been worth it. Patting the peacock's shoulder in a rare display of good temper, he signaled his appreciation of its loyalty. Looking at Zhi Lixuan's puzzled gaze, he explained, "It once heard about the good treatment here and initially wanted to work at your zoo."

Zhi Lixuan understood only partially. "So this Daoist Master studied animal management and breeding?"

Wei Xi let out an "ah," looking questioningly at his second disciple. What did he mean?

His disciple's expression seemed frozen, and after a moment, he spoke under Wei Xi's gaze, "…You don't need to understand."

Lost in thought about the connection between animal husbandry and being a Daoist, Zhi Lixuan was eventually pulled back to reality by the screams of the man with the square face. Seeing his partner on the verge of being killed by the black swans, concern overtook his anger. "M-Master Wei, what... what should we do about this?"

His mind was blank, unable to comprehend how a decrease in feed quality could lead to such a bizarre outcome – his animals collectively running away.

Wei Xi: "Do you still want to keep them working?"

Work...

Zhi Lixuan nodded, dazed by the concept. "Ah, the zoo has to stay open, right?"

Wei Xi: "That's true."

Zhi Lixuan, overwhelmed by the sudden shift in his worldview, placed all his hope on Wei Xi. "Then, Master Wei... the ritual..."

Wei Xi thought to himself that this fellow was still stubbornly clinging to superstition. "What use is a ritual? You should negotiate with them properly."

Upon receiving this response, Zhi Lixuan almost knelt down. This Daoist Master Wei's solution was too scientific!

No, wait! It didn't seem scientific at all!

*****

The man with the square face felt like an idiot from all the nagging, but what was even more unbearable than the physical pain was the deep-seated fear within him.

In the midst of the crowd, the black swans were only attacking him. This bizarre behavior was clearly beyond Zhi Lixuan's control. What could be the reason behind it? What on earth was going on?

Shaken and barely able to stand after being rescued, he dared not even glance at the creatures that he had once dismissed. However, it seemed that the crowd wasn't about to let him off. Zhi Lixuan promptly called in the zoo security to restrain both him and Master Xia, then began to hold him accountable.

Master Xia, who had been in a daze ever since Wei Xi summoned the animals, suddenly snapped back to reality under the grip of the security guards. He immediately shouted, "Let go! What do you think you're doing!"

His disciples were equally furious. "Director Zhi, what are you doing! Let go of my master!"

They also tried to seek help from the man with the square face.

Yet the man with the square face was in no position to protect himself, let alone them. Seated on the bench with unease, how could he attend to their concerns? Zhi Lixuan was infuriated when he thought that this person had been invited by his partner to perform some ritual. In comparison to Wei Xi, it was clear to him that this was a fraud. "How much did Guanghao pay you? That's all from the public funds of the zoo! You have to return every penny!"

Master Xia was unparalleled in receiving payment, but when it came to returning the money, he was far from compliant. He even put up a fight in front of his disciples, insisting, "I've already completed my exorcism ritual. It's only reasonable for me to receive this compensation. Why should I refund anything?"

Better left unsaid, but Zhi Lixuan's mention of it immediately reminded him of the incident, making him even angrier. "Yes, you performed your ritual, and you even spat white wine on our panda's face!"

Although the fairy employees all detested the giant panda for having powerful connections, they couldn't help but feel a sense of disgust when putting themselves in his shoes, being fellow creatures after all. "Ugh, look at how yellow his teeth are; it's obvious he doesn't care about oral hygiene. And to spit clear liquor into someone's face like that—who knows if he has tartar buildup or not."

Master Xia: "..."

Master Xia was furious, "I have my teeth professionally cleaned regularly! The yellowing is from smoking!"

Thinking of the numerous doubts and skepticism his sect had faced since its establishment, and recalling the bitter smiles of the scholars he knew when they discussed the current state of the esoteric world in their casual conversations, Wei Xi had a rather unfavorable impression. He turned to his disciple and said, "Kuang Zhiming is right. It's because there are too many frauds like this that legitimate sects like ours, Taicang Sect, are not recognized by the common folk."

The disciple looked down at him for a moment, wanting to say something but ultimately holding back. Instead, he reached up to comb through his master's hair, his gaze sweeping across the ghostly "employees" haunting the room.

Reputable Sect...

In fact, not only among the general public, but also within the esoteric community, such practices are likely not recognized or endorsed...

Master Xia had witnessed his ability to summon creatures and, unsure if it was an illusion, held some fear towards him. Hearing this, he didn't refute the claim, but his group of disciples behind him wouldn't stand for it. They all started protesting loudly, "Who are you calling a fraud! Our master possesses the Heavenly Eye, allowing him to traverse the world, defeating all manner of ghosts and demons. How could he possibly be a fraud!"

Wei Xi: "The Heavenly Eye? "

Master Xia's disciples sneered, "This is a gift our master was born with. With the Heavenly Eye open, he can detect where monsters and demons lurk! During funerals in the countryside, he doesn't even need a photo to see the deceased through the coffin!"

It was precisely due to this exceptional skill that he had managed to rise to his current position.

Wei Xi thought to himself that the man did indeed possess some skill. Why would he then mistake a panda for an enchanted creature? One of the disciples continued, "Perhaps he's like Lu Wenqing, born with the Yin-Yang Eyes."

Some people, due to their excessively weak and Yin constitution, could see things that others couldn't from birth, like Lu Wenqing. His constitution was heavily Yin, so he had been plagued by ghosts since childhood. Only with the amulets given by his family did his situation improve slightly, but he still carried a psychological shadow, being utterly terrified of ghosts. However, this Master Xia clearly had more courage than Lu Wenqing. He actually used his ability to see both Yin and Yang as a tool for fraudulent activities, even though he didn't know any genuine Daoist techniques. But the fact that he could see the souls of the deceased made him much better than most fraudsters. By casually demonstrating some moves and making up stories about what he saw, he gained the trust of his clients and the admiration of his disciples.

Wei Xi frowned and glanced at his employees behind him. "Then why can't he see... these?"

"The Yin-Yang eyes are a burden. He can see when he wants to, and sees when he doesn't," said a disciple. "Being able to see ghosts from a young age wasn't a pleasant experience. He probably prefers not to see them, so he uses something to block his vision."

Upon hearing this, Wei Xi focused and indeed noticed a light yellow pouch resembling an amulet hanging on Master Xia's chest, adorned with intricate talismans.

Zhi Lixuan, who hadn't overheard their conversation, didn't believe a word from Master Xia's disciples and still had the security guards hold him down. "Stop talking nonsense about your Heavenly Eye. Give us back our money before you leave!"

Master Xia's disciples were furious at how their master was treated and shouted, "Master! Let's perform a ritual to show them what we're capable of!"

Feeling pressured by their faith, Master Xia felt like a duck being forced to swim. How could he really perform a ritual? All he had were his Yin-Yang eyes, which caused him trouble. Apart from providing some assistance during funerals, they were useless in daily life. Who wouldn't be afraid of ghosts? After accumulating wealth, he had sought out famous Daoist temples for suppressive talismans, rarely removing them unless absolutely necessary. This zoo gig wasn't a funeral, and he wasn't skilled in combatting evil spirits. He had put on the talisman early on, fearing to encounter impure entities.

Thus, urged by his disciples, he continued to struggle, fruitlessly yelling at the security guards, "Let me go! Let me go!"

Perhaps his struggles were too vigorous, and the security guards found it difficult to control him. After a few attempts, they lost their patience and grabbed him roughly by the shoulder.

Master Xia let out a pained cry when seized, but before he could retaliate, he suddenly felt a tightness around his neck, accompanied by a muffled snap.

Wei Xi keenly noticed their actions and raised an eyebrow at his disciple. "It seems that thing is about to fall."

He wasn't worried at all, but Shen Shu, who had overheard their conversation, suddenly cried out, "Oh no!"

Wei Xi asked, "What's wrong?"

Shen Shu stomped his foot, reminding him, "Headmaster, we didn't pay for our tickets!"

Little Fatty, who had been amused by the situation, slapped his head in panic upon hearing Shen Shu. "Boss! We stole his business, he won't report us, will he?"

Shuo Zong: "…"

Wei Xi: "!!!"

Wei Xi's expression instantly changed, his gaze turning sharp. "Don't let his talisman touch the ground!"

The sect staff panicked and rushed forward, shouting, "It's too late, ahhhh!"

Master Xia, hearing the commotion, immediately realized that the talisman hanging around his neck, which concealed his Yin-Yang eyes, had snapped. He exclaimed, "My talisman!"

Yet, his shoulders were still pinned down by the security guards, leaving him unable to move. Helplessly, he watched the talisman slide down his chest, along with his sense of security.

Frustrated, he glanced around at the crowd, briefly feeling relieved—it was fortunate that they were in a zoo, free from impurities. Had this happened in an abandoned graveyard, where wandering spirits gathered, losing the talisman would have truly been...

The talisman hit the ground the next moment. As his thoughts raced halfway, Wei Xi's low exclamation mixed with some other noise reached his ears. Instinctively, he lifted his gaze forward.

Master Xia: "........................................."

"Ahh!" The two security guards holding Master Xia's shoulders suddenly cried out in panic, "Hey! What's wrong with you?!"

No response came from under their hands. Reacting on instinct, they loosened their grip. Master Xia's slightly plump body trembled slightly before collapsing sideways with his eyes rolled up, leaning limply into the arms of the square-faced man who had been pushed aside. At the same time, he began convulsing irregularly.

Square Face: "?????"

Master Xia's disciples also started shouting. Zhi Lixuan, who was about to initiate employee communication under the peacock spirit's guidance, was startled and quickly stepped forward, bending over to look. "Why did he faint?!"

Upon closer inspection, he grew even more panicked. "And why is he urinating?!"

Master Xia's disciples froze, their shocked expressions focusing on the spot where their master was still dripping water. "......"

Zhi Lixuan, fearing for the man's life, shouted at Wei Xi, "Master Wei! Master Wei! What's happening to him? Is he possessed? !!!!"

Wei Xi: "..."

Little Fatty, Shen Shu, and the bloodied staff jumped with frustration. "It was so close! Just a bit more!"

After a moment, Wei Xi's second disciple closed his eyes, forcing himself not to look at the room full of fools. He coldly addressed the panic-stricken Zhi Lixuan, "It could be an epileptic seizure."

*****

Zhi Lixuan wondered how this person could suddenly have a seizure, especially one that seemed triggered by fear, causing convulsions and loss of bladder control.

But since the man had already fainted, there was nothing he could do. He instructed the security guards to lay Master Xia flat on the ground and called for an ambulance.

The square-faced man was dumbfounded by the sudden illness of the master he had invited. It felt like the events of this day surpassed everything he had experienced in his entire life. The pain from the wounds inflicted by the black swans was excruciating, yet Zhi Lixuan didn't seem to intend on letting him off. Clearly, he was determined to uncover the truth about the zoo's feed situation.

Terrified and furious, the man clung to a sliver of hope, desperately suppressing the tremors of uncertainty within him. He convinced himself that these people might be actors hired by Zhi Lixuan to frame him, forcing a confession about the financial discrepancies.

To his astonishment, the young man from Taicang Sect, who claimed to understand chicken language, immediately and accurately named the warehouse where he stored the privately purchased feed!

The man with the square face finally turned pale with fear and panic, truly realizing that his secret had been exposed and that he was terrified of the Taicang Sect - the warehouse was rented under his own name, in a very secluded location. Out of caution, he hadn't even informed many of his trusted employees about it, so Zhi Lixuan shouldn't have known!

Moreover, he had just stored a large amount of recently replenished inventory there, along with records of transactions with suppliers. If Zhi Lixuan got hold of these, not only would he lose his position at the zoo, but he could also be sued for embezzlement!

He had always been so careful. How could he have been exposed so easily?

The man with the square face watched in a daze as Zhi Lixuan instructed someone to verify the address, unable to utter a single word. Filled with both hatred and fear, he looked at the Taicang Sect members who he had previously dismissed, hoping to find help. But when he turned around, he saw Master Xia, whom he had invited, still lying on a makeshift emergency bed, convulsing in terror.

A chill ran down his spine as he suddenly recalled how, before Master Xia had fainted, his disciples were urging him to teach a lesson to those who had disrespected him. Then, the master with the surname Wei on the other side had whispered, "Don't let him…"

"Don't let him do what?" The distance was too great, and the man with the square face, preoccupied with the security guards, hadn't heard clearly.

Nonetheless, it was undeniable that after that person shouted, Master Xia ended up in his current state.

This terrifying display was like the final straw that broke the camel's back. The man trembled violently, his anger instantly drowned by an overwhelming surge of fear. He wished he could jump off a building. If he had known that Master Wei was so formidable, how could he have...

Zhi Lixuan was surprised when he received the address. "This isn't within the zoo. It's quite far away. How did they know?"

Wei Xi glanced at the peacock spirit, who smiled. "Chairman, not all the animals in the zoo are official staff. There are plenty of stray cats, rats, and cheeky magpies and sparrows sneaking in for food. These temporary workers wander everywhere and know much more than people do. They gossip a lot, and since the birds' area and the red panda exhibit are free-range, with boring daily routines, they often chat with these temporary workers and slack off when they're idle."

Zhi Lixuan: "..."

Wiping his face, Zhi Lixuan said, "Apologize to them on my behalf. I entrusted the feed procurement to Guanghao, and I never expected him to secretly switch it. Starting from today, I'll have someone replace the feed as soon as possible."

The group of black swans flapped their wings, while the flamingos and red pandas remained silent, indicating their consent.

However, the commotion in the zoo wasn't limited to them. They had merely escaped more easily due to being free-range. While Zhi Lixuan contacted the keepers to inquire about the situation, he learned that the lions and tigers in the Fierce Beast Area, as well as some herbivores in the Grazing Animal Area, were still agitated.

The square-faced man had not only replaced the bird and red panda feeds but also substituted fresh meat for frozen meat in the carnivore area. Presumably, other animals had suffered a similar fate.

With no other choice, Zhi Lixuan asked Wei Xi to accompany him to investigate the situation, only to discover that the problem was far from simple. It turned out that the zoo's animal residents had long been harboring discontent with their working conditions.

Wei Xi observed his supernatural staff bustling about nonstop, occasionally returning to report, "The monkeys from Monkey Hill are complaining that there are too many visitors and their working hours are too long, stretching from dawn till dusk with no shifts. They're being watched every move they make, leaving them no privacy even for intimate moments with their mates."

Wei Xi: " Conjugal life?"

Second Apprentice: "..."

Before he could ask, the second disciple promptly drove away the fox spirit. Zhi Lixuan stammered, "Um... shall I split them into two shifts for a work-one-day, rest-one-day schedule?"

The squirrel spirit approached again and said, "The brown bear says the visitors have no manners. They like to bang on the glass walls of the exhibit when he's sleeping, disturbing his rest. If these visitors aren't chased away, he'll leave sooner or later."

Zhi Lixuan's mind had gone numb. "We can't chase away the visitors. I'll have a railing installed outside the glass wall. Ask it how it plans to survive without them."

The most troublesome was Lion-Tiger Hill. The Siberian tiger not only refused to cooperate with the squirrel spirit's inquiries but also tried to intimidate it. Upon seeing his employee being bullied, Wei Xi rushed forward to attack, but Zhi Lixuan desperately stopped him. What if the Siberian tiger got hurt?

Squatting outside the railing, the squirrel spirit tried to persuade the tigers. "Life outside isn't easy either. You don't cherish your positions here, yet you insist on leaving. Director Ren has promised not to feed you frozen meat anymore. There's food, drink, and fans here. What's so good about the outside world?"

Realizing that Wei Xi and Shuo Zong were not to be trifled with, the Siberian tiger ceased its intimidation. However, it still lazily licked its paws and wiped its face, ignoring them.

Wei Xi glanced at the list of animal exhibits in Zhi Lixuan's hand and asked, "Are these all the animals in the zoo?"

Zhi Lixuan replied, "No, actually, only some animals have been causing trouble lately, such as those from Lion-Tiger Hill, Monkey Garden, Brown Bear Area, and the free-roaming zones. Others like kangaroos, koalas, and plains viscachas are quiet. Oh, and the Panda Pavilion is peaceful, behaving normally."

As soon as Zhi Lixuan spoke, the Siberian tiger lying on the ground, basking in the sun, suddenly let out a roar, its eyes widening as it stood up. Its eyes were wide open, its teeth bared, revealing sharp fangs. Its tail fluffed up, expressing indescribable anger, as if it wanted to pounce and bite him.

Zhi Lixuan jumped in fright. "?????"

The squirrel spirit crouched there, its back stiff. After a moment, it turned around hesitantly and asked, "Director Zhi, did... did this Forest Zoo not have pandas before?"

Zhi Lixuan replied in a daze, "Yes, raising pandas isn't that simple. It was only after the zoo expanded in recent years that we were able to acquire them, and it wasn't an easy process."

The Northeastern tiger's gaze had turned icy cold, bordering on bloodthirsty, as it continued to growl softly.

The squirrel spirit fell silent for a long while before asking, "Did the name of the Forest Zoo change...?"

It was indeed a distant memory. As Zhi Lixuan reminisced about the zoo's early days, his eyes took on a wistful look. "Yes, back then, the zoo was much smaller, and there weren't any special animals. We had no competitiveness in the industry at all. The main attractions were the lions and tigers within the park. That's why, in the beginning, we called it the Lion-Tiger Mountain Zoo."

As his words faded, he suddenly realized something. Coming back to his senses, he gazed at the roaring Northeastern tiger and fell into a thoughtful silence. "..."

The squirrel spirit nodded with great difficulty in the face of his incredulous gaze, "… It said, why would a panda run? A panda is damn royalty! No one dares to tamper with its food even if they change the rations for all the exhibits. Its enclosure is right in the heart of the park, taking up the largest area, and the house built for it is the most beautiful. Who cares about me? I'm insignificant, whether I'm there or not makes no difference. Just let them carry the panda over!"

Zhi Lixuan: "…."

Wei Xi: "…."

Shuo Zong: "…."

Wei Xi was somewhat perplexed but, recalling the management books he had read, quickly grasped the situation, "There's a significant disparity in treatment between your new and old employees. It's understandable for the old-timers, who've been with you since the beginning, to have complaints."

Zhi Lixuan was on the verge of kneeling before Wei Xi.

After hearing Wei Xi's apologies to the Siberian tiger, Zhi Lixuan returned to the panda exhibit and saw that the panda, no longer under Master Xia's threat, had returned to its usual self, sprawled out while munching on bamboo, just as it did when they first met, with its ears twitching nonstop.

Upon learning about the Siberian tiger's preferential treatment, the squirrel spirit, filled with envy and resentment, could hardly hold back its tears: "No wonder it didn't run away. The zoo practically lavishes all its resources on it, causing even the veteran employees who arrived before it to grumble in discontent. It only relies on being a national treasure, but I don't see any remarkable skills it possesses."

Zhi Lixuan wanted to explain but didn't know how. His worldview had been severely shaken and was on the brink of collapse. All he could manage was a confused, forced laugh: "...It, it doesn't possess any skills for us to demand, you know."

The squirrel spirit couldn't stand the injustice and spoke up for its species: "It's simply being arrogant. If I were it, with so many visitors supporting me, I'd at least bow in gratitude, no matter how tired I was."

The panda seemed to recognize the squirrel. Upon seeing its reappearance, its pace of eating slowed down, and it looked like it might leave.

A giant panda... bowing... Zhi Lixuan: "...."

Wei Xi didn't have a clear concept of national treasures or their protected status. In his eyes, pandas and Siberian tigers were more or less the same. Since the Siberian tiger had clearly expressed its dissatisfaction with the panda and even considered switching zoos because of it, not addressing the root issue would be unacceptable. Recalling the payment Zhi Lixuan had offered him, he kindly suggested a solution: "Unequal treatment among employees can undermine your company's internal unity. This panda's performance is average and doesn't seem to command respect. For the sake of maintaining employee morale, perhaps you should relocate it to a more distant area or adjust its living conditions downward, so as not to create too much disparity with other colleagues."

Zhi Lixuan was stunned into silence. If anyone else had told him this seemingly logical yet logically flawed suggestion, he would have dismissed them as insane. But since it came from Wei Xi, he found himself subconsciously pondering it despite the lack of logic: "Relocate... to a farther location? Downgrade its living conditions?"

As Zhi Lixuan repeated the words in a daze, he instinctively glanced at the panda inside the enclosure, which had stopped eating its bamboo.

Panda: "..."

In the next second, the panda suddenly dropped the bamboo and struggled to its feet, sitting on its hind legs with its front paws clasped together, making a gesture towards him.

Zhi Lixuan: "...................."

Wei Xi looked at the panda with a gloomy expression. "Huh? It knows how to pay respects?"

Squirrel Spirit: "I told you it's being arrogant."

Shuo Zong: "..."

*****

Just as Zhi Lixuan was on the verge of fainting, the sound of an ambulance echoed in his ears. Paramedics rushed into the panda exhibit with a stretcher, asking, "Where is the patient?!"

Master Xia was still convulsing on the emergency bed, surrounded by his concerned disciples. Their gazes, filled with anger, alternated between Tai Cang Zong and Zhi Lixuan.

"One of you will pay!" the disciples vowed, believing that their master's outburst was a result of Zhi Lixuan's rough treatment. "We'll settle this when my master wakes up!"

Wei Xi was actually a little nervous when he heard this. What if Master Xia reported his company's employees for fare evasion? That would be seven hundred of them...

He wished that they would hurry up and take the man away, but fate had other plans. Just as the medical staff were about to lift Master Xia onto the stretcher, he regained consciousness.

His disciples rushed to him anxiously, shouting in unison, "Master!"

Wei Xi's face turned stern, fearing that the man might say something he shouldn't. He quickly approached as well.

Seeing Wei Xi, Master Xia's disciples were furious, urging their master, "Master! You're finally awake! Teach them a lesson!"

Master Xia was still dazed. He slowly opened his eyes, thinking he had just woken up from a nightmare. But when he turned his head, he saw Wei Xi approaching with a cold expression, his gaze sharp and piercing. His handsome face was shrouded in an indescribable gloom, as if he wanted to kill him on the spot.

Master Xia trembled violently, suddenly remembering everything! The scene before he passed out involuntarily surfaced in his mind—a dark room filled with Yin energy, Wei Xi staring in his direction and bellowing, followed by countless miserable and terrifying ghosts rushing at him with grotesque faces!

This... This person actually intended to control ghosts to kill him??

Master Xia shook like a leaf, tears welling up in his tiger-like eyes. He almost wet himself again. He thought, What did I do? I only offended you a few times at first because I mistook you for someone from the same profession. Can't I apologize for my mistake?! You actually want to kill me! How ruthless and vicious!

Seeing Wei Xi approach once more, he didn't feel brave amidst the encouragement of his disciples; instead, he was terrified, his mind blank.

Wei Xi approached him and peered down, contemplating for a moment, wanting to probe if he had guessed the incident of his company's staff sneaking into the park and whether he intended to report it.

However, just as he opened his mouth but before he could speak, Master Xia, lying on the bed, suddenly let out a mournful cry and shivered as he pleaded, "M-Master, spare me!"

His disciples around: "?????"

Wei Xi: "????"

Master Xia seemed to have summoned boundless courage. Without anyone's help, he rolled off the bed, still in his damp pants, and bolted with his disciples, leaving behind the bewildered medical staff in the exhibition hall.

Uncle Shen, fearing they would be caught, had immediately hidden all the employees when he heard Xia waking up. Now, seeing him run away, he was slightly stunned and poked his head out to ask Wei Xi, "Sect Leader, does this mean he won't report us?"

Wei Xi nodded. "I think so."

Although this fake master lacked real skills, his manner in dealing with people was surprisingly friendly.

*****

The animals were finally calmed down, and the keepers arrived with their supplies, returning the escaped black swan, red panda, and other creatures to their respective exhibits. Zhi Lixuan spent the day in a daze, too scared to look at the seemingly anxious giant panda that occasionally tried to bow to him in the enclosure.

Wei Xi observed his distraction but didn't bother to engage him, instead turning to ask his disciple, "When you mentioned the animal summoning technique, does it mean that all animals can hear the call?"

Shuo Zong nodded. "Usually, that's correct."

Wei Xi was puzzled. "But Zhi Lixuan said that quite a significant number of animals in the zoo didn't react at all. Could it be that they're content with their lives and don't wish to leave?"

Shuo Zong himself had some doubts about this. Logically, with the square-faced director embezzling funds, he should have replaced the food in all exhibits except for the panda enclosure's bamboo. Yet, there was a portion of animals that remained untouched by the summoning.

He flipped through the list he'd obtained from Zhi Lixuan, scanning down the rows. Jaguars from the Americas, kangaroos from Australia, koalas, South American bush pigs... They were a mix of carnivores and herbivores, representing diverse categories with one common denominator seemingly... their nationality.

Shuo Zong suddenly realized something, falling into a long silence.

Wei Xi was about to probe further when Zhi Lixuan's phone, which he had retrieved from the office, began to ring loudly. As he answered, a panicked roar came through the line—

"The Director! We've returned all the escaped animals!"

Zhi Lixuan's voice sounded dazed. "If they're back, they're back. Did you do an inventory? Did anything go missing?"

"No, nothing's missing," the staff member on the other end replied. Before he could even feel relieved, the person roared again, "But there's more! More, I say! Can you believe it? There's a wild boar in the exhibit area for the South American bush pigs!!!"

Zhi Lixuan: "?????"

The employee was on the verge of fainting. "Is it haunted?! Aren't they supposed to run away?! Why is there one more?! Where on earth did this wild boar come from?!"

Zhi Lixuan felt that he had experienced enough for a lifetime in just one day. "..."

Having caught snippets of the phone conversation, the members of Taicang Sect could also roughly guess the reason behind it. "..."

The wild boar spirit was quite daring, attempting to flirt in broad daylight. Fortunately, it managed to escape the zoo and even sent Wei Xi a WeChat message.

When Wei Xi led his team out, the wild boar was standing at the zoo entrance, gazing at the sky with a solitary and complicated figure, as if he had suddenly matured.

Wei Xi wondered, what's going on here? Did it work or not?

The wild boar turned slowly at the sound of footsteps. "Chairman."

He was unusually composed, his gaze distant, his tone calm, and his attitude sincere as he made his first proactive request since descending the mountain:

"Enroll me in an English class."