Yang Qi didn’t calm the mother brown bear purely out of kindness.

For one, the bear had been provoked into its pained frenzy; it wasn’t naturally vicious.

Second, and most importantly...

Although it had caused immense panic and property damage during its rampage, it had miraculously not harmed a single visitor.

The young man who had been scared paralyzed and speechless was only frightened, with no physical injuries.

With no casualties, the nature of the incident was completely different, leaving much more room to maneuver in the aftermath.

The punishment for the brown bear itself would likely just be temporary isolation for observation, or a symbolic two days in the "little black room."

When the Great Sage kidnapped Qiqi, the consequence was just one day in the "little black room."

The real parties who needed to be investigated and held accountable were the ones who caused the mother bear’s rampage, as well as the keepers and the head of Bear Mountain who bore direct or indirect responsibility.

Yang Qi didn’t yet know if the accident was caused by a visitor or by someone from inside the Zoo.

His main concern was helping the mother bear avoid punishment as much as possible.

...

Gently calming the mother bear the entire way, he safely escorted it back to its familiar enclosure area.

The heavy safety door slammed shut with a CLANG, and Yang Qi breathed a sigh of relief.

And just then—

[Detected: Host has resolved a sudden, high-risk "Spirit Beast escape" incident at a Friend Sect. By preventing casualties and greatly preserving the Friend Sect’s reputation, you have performed a great service for the sect and demonstrated its might to an ally.]

[Special Reward: Mother-Child Unity Bell]

’Mother-Child Unity Bell?’

’A new Magical Artifact!’

Yang Qi was overjoyed and immediately began to receive the relevant information.

This "Mother-Child Unity Bell" was a Magical Artifact for controlling beasts. It was divided into two parts—a mother and a child bell—both of which were quaint, small, and ordinary in appearance.

It required a preliminary refinement with one’s own blood essence, after which it could be activated with Magical Power.

As long as the distance between the Mother Bell and the child bell did not exceed a thousand li, the holder of the Mother Bell could sense the child bell’s specific location and precise distance. They could even perceive the basic emotional fluctuations and physical condition of the one wearing the child bell.

Although it couldn’t be used directly for combat or defense, it was definitely an extremely practical support, tracking, and early-warning Magical Artifact.

Whether for monitoring the whereabouts and status of a contracted Spirit Beast, or for control in certain special situations in the future...

Its value was self-evident!

’What a great item~’

Yang Qi rejoiced internally. He hadn’t expected to get such an unexpected reward for his heroic act.

Suppressing his excitement, he maintained a calm and composed expression as he turned and walked out of Bear Mountain.

Outside Bear Mountain, a group of the Zoo’s upper management, led by Guo Xiaoyun, immediately surrounded him.

Guo Xiaoyun rushed forward, grabbed Yang Qi’s hand with both of his own, and shook it vigorously, his face filled with gratitude.

"Advisor Yang, I can’t thank you enough. If you hadn’t stepped in when you did, I can’t even imagine the consequences."

"Director Guo, you’re too kind. I just happened to be nearby when it happened. I couldn’t just stand by and watch a disaster unfold," Yang Qi replied humbly.

"Regardless, Advisor Yang, you are a great benefactor to our Red Star Zoo. You prevented a potential tragedy and saved our Zoo’s reputation."

Guo Xiaoyun thanked him solemnly once more, then an apologetic look appeared on his face. "Advisor Yang, I’m terribly sorry, but I must go deal with the aftermath of this incident immediately—investigate the cause, appease the visitors, report to my superiors... I will thank you properly tonight. Please, you must do me the honor!"

After speaking, he shook Yang Qi’s hand again, nodded to Tong Xiaoyue, and left in a hurry with the head of security, the head of the Veterinary Station, and the other senior managers.

Tong Xiaoyue stayed behind, walking over to Yang Qi’s side with a look of admiration in her eyes.

"Xiao Yang, we really have you to thank for this."

Tong Xiaoyue smiled. "Thankfully, you were here to prevent an irreversible outcome. But, as you’ve seen, the situation is extremely serious, and the impact is terrible. Even if you go back to Donghua tonight as planned, I’m afraid you’ll have to rush back here tomorrow or the day after."

’Well...’

Yang Qi, who had been about to say he’d already bought a high-speed train ticket to return to Donghua that evening, swallowed his words.

After a major incident like a brown bear escaping and nearly injuring someone, it was inevitable that Red Star Zoo would temporarily close for internal rectification and a comprehensive safety inspection.

Correspondingly, for a hero like him who "turned the tide," public commendations, thanks, and even awards from higher-level departments were also unavoidable.

As the person at the center of it all, he couldn’t hide from such occasions even if he wanted to.

Just as Tong Xiaoyue had implied, even if he returned tonight, once Huang Zhongmu over in Donghua heard about it, he would also urge him to hurry back to accept the commendation.

This wasn’t just about Yang Qi personally; it also concerned the reputation of Donghua Zoo and its relationship with Red Star Zoo.

"I understand, Teacher Tong."

Yang Qi nodded and replied, "What’s happening here is more important, I get it. I can just change my train ticket."

"Good that you understand."

Tong Xiaoyue gave a faint smile, then her expression turned serious. "Also, the preliminary investigation results are out. The bear went into a frenzy because of a new Veterinarian. He made a procedural error during a routine health check. He used an improper instrument, which pressed into the bear’s neck and got stuck, causing severe pain. The stimulus drove it into a rage, and it finally lost control."

"The person responsible has been secured and is undergoing further investigation."

’A new Veterinarian?’

’Someone from Red Star Zoo itself?’

Yang Qi raised his eyebrows. It was unexpected, yet it also made sense.

After a moment of thought, he couldn’t help but ask.

"Will this Veterinarian be fired?"

"Of course," Tong Xiaoyue replied almost without thinking.

As the words left her mouth, she sensed what Yang Qi was getting at and a chilly smile touched her lips. "What, Xiao Yang, you don’t actually think someone could remain employed at the Zoo after a serious negligence incident like this, one that could have led to a major safety disaster and visitor deaths?"

"This isn’t something that can be swept under the rug with a job transfer and a written self-criticism. Nor is it something you can escape final punishment for just because you have connections."

She paused, her voice low but emphatic as she stressed again.

"On this matter, I will not allow it. Director Guo will absolutely not allow it. And Secretary Xia of our Zoo’s Party Committee most certainly will not allow it!"

"This will only be handled with the utmost seriousness, to give a clear account to all the visitors, to the higher-ups, and to the public!"

Yang Qi was left speechless.

The Secretary, the Director, and the Deputy Director—Red Star Zoo’s top three leaders had all clearly stated they "would not allow it." Their attitude was so firm and unified.

In that case, even if that new Veterinarian truly had some backing, there was no way he could possibly remain at Red Star Zoo.

Getting fired was already set in stone.

If things went poorly, he might even face a notice circulated throughout the entire industry, or even legal consequences!