Jian Cheng peeked out of the vehicle, observing the smooth road they had just traversed. It would be impossible to climb back if he jumped off now.

Chapter 032: The Line Between Man and Beast

"Huh? What... what's that?" Jian Cheng rubbed his eyes, glancing back in the same direction. Moments later, he exclaimed, "Quickly inform Brother Ning, there's a beast following us!"

Upon hearing "beast", everyone panicked. Some tried to get a look, others knocked on the driver's cabin. Soon, many saw a white creature chasing after the convoy.

"It's... it's a tiger!" someone recognized the royal mark on its forehead, causing even greater alarm. Ning Xufeng, while reporting to the captain, aimed his gun at the white tiger.

The little white tiger, swift in movement, dodged the bullets effortlessly before letting out a youthful roar.

As Zhou You was organizing his luggage inside the vehicle, a sudden sharp turn sent his suitcase sliding to Shao Qi's feet. Shao Qi whistled in awe, "Wow! A treasure trove in here!"

Zhou You quickly shut the suitcase, retorting with a smirk, "It's nothing compared to the wealth Mr. Shao has at the tip of his fingers," alluding to Shao Qi's renowned affluence.

"What's happening outside?" Zhou You peeked out, seeing Li Hongxi with armored cars passing by. He shouted, "Is there another beast attack?"

Li Yunxi, standing atop a vehicle, glimpsed the pursuing creature and cried out, "It's a young white tiger! I wonder if there's a full-grown one following. An adult Tiger King is far more formidable than a pack of wolves."

"A white tiger?" Zhou You, sensing familiarity, jumped out of the vehicle, waving his arms, "Hold your fire!" Running against the convoy's direction, he soon recognized the white cub he had saved just days ago, which had grown noticeably larger.

The little white tiger also recognized Zhou You, accelerating its pace toward him. Behind, Li Yunxi shouted in warning, "Be careful, Zhou You!"

All eyes witnessed the white tiger leaping into the air, as Zhou You spread his arms wide to catch it. The catch was secure, and both man and tiger affectionately nuzzled each other.

"What... what's going on here? Is this a domesticated pet?"

"Oh my god, what did I just see? Did Zhou You transform from a tigress?"

"There's something odd about that boy!" The crowd whispered amongst themselves.

But Zhou You, filled with excitement, held the little white tiger and asked, "How did you follow me here? How did you find me?"

Naturally, the little white tiger wouldn't respond verbally, but it affectionately rubbed its face against his cheek and licked him. The behavior was reminiscent of a lost puppy finding its owner.

The convoy halted, everyone cautiously and curiously gazing at the man and tiger duo. Lao Qiaotou secretly sighed, "Ah, what a fateful bond."

Zhan Cheng curiously asked, "What happened?"

In Lao Qiaotou's earlier tale, there was no mention of a young tiger cub, only an adult tiger, complete with a thrilling story of their escape from its clutches. The tale had left everyone in shock.

"Is this the... the Tiger King you encountered?" As the crowd began to piece together the true story, they were both astonished and amused, feeling that this made more sense.

If they had genuinely faced an adult Tiger King, their safe return would've been a miracle.

Lao Qiaotou nodded, saying, "We left it in a cave back then, never expecting it to track us down."

After their affectionate reunion, Zhou You had to consider the practicalities. While he genuinely adored the cub, bringing it aboard the vehicle was impractical. It might be fine in the wild, but it wouldn't be allowed into the base.

Reluctantly, Zhou You set the cub on the roadside, urging, "Go on, return. There's a difference between man and beast!"

"Whimper..." The little white tiger scratched at the ground, clearly reluctant to depart.

When Li Yunxi heard Zhou You's comment about "man and beast," she twitched her lips. If not for the sight of the tiger cub, she would've thought Zhou You had encountered some tiger demon.

"It's so cute!" Li Yunxi extended her hand to pet the white tiger. However, the cub snarled fiercely, showing its teeth and dodging her touch.

"Tsk, quite the fierce one. Even at this age, it shows signs of becoming a skilled hunter." She folded her arms, stating nonchalantly, "Why not take it with us? A creature like this would fetch a good number of credits." She may have meant it jokingly, but Ning Xufeng swiftly approached and grabbed the cub by its neck.

Zhou You grabbed his hand, demanding coldly, "What are you doing?"

"Heh heh, it's a wild creature that came right to us. In ancient times, we had the saying 'waiting by a tree stump for a rabbit to run into it.' Today, we have a tiger cub offering itself up. Letting it go would be a joke, right?"

"Let go!" Zhou You warned with a dark expression.

The little white tiger could keenly sense the intent of the humans. It roared angrily at Ning Xufeng, desperately trying to free itself, but Ning Xufeng's strength made escape impossible.

"Whimper..."

Ning Xufeng laughed heartily, "Why should I listen to you? This tiger belongs to no one, finders keepers. And even if it were considered a shared asset of the Dawn Exploration Team, when did it become your place to give orders?"

Many agreed with Ning Xufeng's logic, relying on their protection usually and acknowledging that they were the primary hunters.

"Who said it belongs to no one? It came specifically for me."

"Ha! That's the funniest thing I've heard this year! You merely encountered it first. It's young and doesn't understand hunting. Do you really believe you've tamed a mutant beast? Release it, or I won't be kind!" Ning Xufeng wanted the cub for himself. Even if it ended up as a shared asset, he'd get a share of the spoils. There was no way he'd let Zhou You set it free.