Chapter 102: Chapter 102: What to Do When the National Treasure Is Too Lazy

Overlord, "..."

["Two-legged Beast, you’re bullying meow!"]

["Boss, Boss, the Two-legged Beast is bullying me!"]

Overlord rolled around on the ground, exposing his belly to Yang Qi. He swiped his paws at the air while crying out pitifully.

Xiaojiu lazily cracked open an eye to glance at Overlord, then swished its tail with an air of ’You brought this on yourself, don’t bother me,’ clearly unwilling to pay it any mind.

Yang Qi didn’t coddle him either.

He picked up his phone, walked to the side, and dialed Sun Zhenghong’s number.

"Captain Sun, am I interrupting?" Yang Qi asked as soon as the call connected.

"Xiao Yang, not at all. What’s up?" Sun Zhenghong’s cheerful voice came through the phone.

"Well, I went to the Police Dog Base today and adopted the retired police dogs," Yang Qi said. "Thank you for pulling the strings for me, Captain Sun. If you hadn’t mentioned it to Captain Tan and he hadn’t kept it in mind, I never would have gotten the chance so quickly."

"Ah, it was nothing. Don’t be so formal," Sun Zhenghong laughed. "So, how did it go? Did you get a good match? Was it Hu Zi or Leopard?"

"I adopted both of them," Yang Qi replied. "I took a liking to both, so I brought them both home."

On the other end of the line, Sun Zhenghong seemed to pause for a moment. Then, his tone filled with concern. "You took both? Xiao Yang, retired police dogs are obedient, but they still require a lot of energy to care for. Especially two of them at once. Don’t push yourself. If you find it’s too much, it’s alright to return one. The base will understand."

Yang Qi’s heart warmed, knowing Sun Zhenghong was genuinely concerned for him. He quickly replied, "Thank you for your concern, Captain Sun, but it’s no problem. I have enough space here, and I can manage my time. Taking care of two is fine. They’re both very well-behaved."

"That’s good to hear."

Sun Zhenghong seemed to let out a sigh of relief. He then added with a laugh, "Alright, since you feel you can handle it, I won’t say any more. Take good care of them. Those are two decorated K-9s, both heroes in their own right."

"I will," Yang Qi promised solemnly.

They chatted a little more about recent events before Sun Zhenghong, who seemed to have something to attend to, ended the call.

Putting down his phone, Yang Qi felt a wave of emotion.

He quickly composed himself and headed out to the cafeteria for lunch. He also packed two portions in a lunchbox to bring back for Hu Zi and Leopard.

Police dogs are usually fed a standard diet.

But Yang Qi didn’t bother with that.

A diet of Spirit Rice could handle any stomach.

...

As evening fell, the sun began to set.

Yang Qi headed into the back mountain as usual to pick up Ta Xue, who had been there for three days.

This was the longest the little one had ever been away from home.

When Yang Qi whistled at the edge of the forest, an agile figure shot out from the undergrowth.

After three days, the changes in Ta Xue were quite obvious.

Its frame was more defined, its eyes sharper and more alert. It moved silently, its fur flecked with grass and a little dirt. An aura of wildness radiated from it, finally showing the fierce demeanor of a clouded leopard.

"Not bad, not bad at all."

Yang Qi praised.

He led Ta Xue back to his dorm at the Zoo.

Ta Xue entered the room first, and the atmosphere inside changed instantly.

"GRRR~"

"WOOF!"

Leopard reacted the fastest. He shot up from the blanket he was lying on, the fur on his back bristling slightly. A low, warning growl rumbled in his throat as he leaned forward, assuming a clear defensive stance.

Although Hu Zi didn’t bark, he instantly tensed up. His gaze was electric, locked onto the strange figure at the door that carried the scent of the forest, his guard up completely.

Startled by the sudden hostility, Ta Xue instinctively lowered its body into a crouch. Its ears flattened back, it bared its small, sharp fangs, and a threatening "HISS" came from its throat as it prepared to attack.

"What are you all doing?"

Yang Qi, who had followed right behind, saw what was happening and quickly intervened. He activated his Basic Spirit Communication Technique, and an invisible mental bridge rapidly formed between them.

"Ta Xue, relax. This is Hu Zi, and this is Leopard. They’re new members of the family. From now on, you’re all family."

Yang Qi calmed Ta Xue first, then turned to the two German Shepherds. "Hu Zi, Leopard, this is Ta Xue. It’s part of our family, not an enemy. Come on, get to know each other. Shake paws."

"Arf?"

Leopard was a little confused, but his hostility visibly subsided, though he remained hesitant.

A flicker of astonishment crossed Hu Zi’s eyes as well. They could sense the wild, predatory aura on Ta Xue and were instinctively wary, but their master had clearly stated this was "family," which left them a bit bewildered.

"Mrow~"

["Hello."]

Ta Xue was the first to accept the situation. It trusted Yang Qi completely, so it dropped its aggressive posture. Still wary, it took a few steps forward and offered a greeting.

"Woof~"

["Hello."]

Hu Zi responded calmly, though his body was still a little tense.

"Woof woof~"

["Hello, hello!"]

Seeing Hu Zi respond, Leopard quickly followed suit, wagging his tail. But his eyes remained fixed on Ta Xue, curious yet cautious.

With Yang Qi’s guidance and the aid of the Basic Spirit Communication Technique, the three animals cautiously approached one another. They sniffed each other’s scents and touched paws, completing a preliminary ’family introduction’ ceremony and memorizing each other’s unique smell.

"That’s more like it."

Yang Qi patted the three of them on the head, sighing in relief.

Afterward, he took Ta Xue to the bathroom to give it a bath, washing off the dirt and grass. Once it was clean, he carefully applied some flea and tick powder.

Ta Xue thoroughly enjoyed the service, purring contentedly.

When everything was done, Yang Qi towel-dried Ta Xue until it was half-dry. Then he carried it to the sofa, turned on the TV, and switched to its favorite show, *Tom and Jerry*.