"I’m impressed! Utterly and completely impressed!"

"This is a real goddamn Beast Tamer! No, he’s gotta be a Beast Speaker, right?"

"Confirmed! He’s a Druid!"

"That composure, that courage, that charisma... Unbelievable!"

"My legs went weak just watching, but he didn’t even flinch and actually smiled?"

"I need that guy’s contact info! So handsome! (starry eyes)"

"..."

But along with the amazement came a wave of doubt.

"This has to be fake, right? Definitely photoshopped or staged! Since when are tigers so well-behaved?"

"The background is so fake. It’s obviously a green screen composite."

"People will do anything for clicks these days, using a tiger as a prop? I suggest a full investigation!"

"I don’t believe it. Not unless I see it with my own eyes."

"To the person above, I was there! It’s real! I saw it with my own eyes! A ton of people were filming it!"

"I was there +1. We were all scared to death, but he actually succeeded. The whole crowd cheered when that dude walked out."

"..."

The debate over the video’s authenticity caused its popularity to skyrocket at an astonishing rate.

Views, shares, and comments surged wildly, and related topics began to appear on other social media platforms.

...

Afternoon sunlight streamed through the dorm window, casting a warm glow on the desk.

After having lunch at the cafeteria, Yang Qi returned home and was relaxing on the sofa when his phone suddenly began to vibrate nonstop.

He opened it to see the "Liudong Study Group" chat, the screen filled with exclamations from Gao Zhenyue and Ye Haibing.

[HOLY CRAP! Brother Qi! You’re famous! You’ve actually gone viral!]

[I’ve watched the video three times already! Pulling a tooth for a wild Northeast Tiger? Yang Druid Qi, that move was just insane!]

[The comment section has exploded! You’re definitely gonna be trending tonight!]

[I’m so jealous I could cry! I’ve never even touched a tiger’s fur... ]

[Brother Qi, don’t forget us when you make it big! (clinging to your leg)]

...

Yang Qi raised an eyebrow slightly. Only now did he realize that the morning’s events had been filmed and posted online.

The cameraperson had chosen an excellent angle, capturing his interaction with "Great King" with perfect clarity. Paired with the exaggerated title and dramatic background music, it had a powerful impact.

It was a bit unexpected, but not entirely surprising.

There had been a large crowd of onlookers at the time, so it wasn’t strange that he had been filmed.

"I’m not selling anything, so I’m not going to get rich," Yang Qi replied simply.

[Song Wan: "You could, though! (doge face)"]

[Qian Yu: Selling +1]

[Gao Zhenyue: Selling +10086!]

[Ye Haibing: Brother Qi, you should start a livestream! We’ll send you rockets!]

...

Watching them start to mess around, Yang Qi didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. He replied with a few ellipses and decisively left the group chat.

To him, the online commotion was nothing more than a passing cloud.

He checked the time, then got up and called to "Bai Wan," who was sunbathing on the windowsill.

"Bai Wan, let’s go. Time to train."

"WOOF!"

Bai Wan immediately leaped down from the windowsill, full of energy.

Its broken leg had long since healed thanks to the nourishment of the Strengthening Pills and Spirit Rice. Now, its body was nimble, its fur was glossy, and its eyes were sharp. It was a far cry from the dying stray dog of a few days ago.

Xiaojiu had gone out after eating, off to who knows where.

As for Ta Xue, Yang Qi had taken him to the mountain behind the Zoo early in the morning to get accustomed to life in the forest with the mother cloud leopard.

...

The man and his dog left the residence, taking a familiar path up the small hill behind the building.

This was where Yang Qi trained Xiaojiu and Bai Wan. It was relatively secluded.

The training regimen included guarding, tracking, charging, and searching...

After its Spirit Awakening, Bai Wan was exceptionally intelligent. Its comprehension was outstanding, and its level of cooperation far surpassed that of ordinary dogs, so its training progressed rapidly.

Just before three in the afternoon, the phone in his pocket rang.

Yang Qi took it out and saw that it was a call from Mei Ying.

"Hello, Sister Mei?"

"Yang Qi, where are you right now?" Mei Ying’s voice held a hint of a smile.

"At home, on the back hill training Bai Wan. What’s up?" Yang Qi replied.

"Okay, just wait at home. Don’t go anywhere," Mei Ying said before hanging up crisply.

’What’s going on?’

Yang Qi was puzzled but didn’t dwell on it. He called to Bai Wan.

"Let’s go, Bai Wan. Time to head home."

"WOOF!"

Hearing the command, Bai Wan immediately stopped what it was doing, grabbed the handle of the portable water bottle that had been set aside, and darted ahead with a SWOOSH, its steps light and steady.

Back at his residence, Yang Qi opened the courtyard gate and the main door. He had just stepped inside to pour some water for Bai Wan when he heard the sound of cars approaching outside.

He put down the water bottle and walked out to see a tourist buggy and a police car parked one after another at his main gate.

Mei Ying, looking sharp and professional in a business skirt set, stepped out of the buggy.

Three people emerged from the police car. The one in the lead was Li Hongqi, the criminal investigation division captain from the Hongshu Branch.

His face was ruddy and beaming with a hearty smile.

Following him were two young, capable police officers, one of whom was carrying an inconspicuous document bag.

"Sister Mei."

Yang Qi greeted Mei Ying first, then looked at Li Hongqi in surprise. "Captain Li? What brings you all here?"

"Haha, we’ve come to give you a gift!"

Li Hongqi strode forward with a booming laugh and clapped Yang Qi firmly on the arm, his manner familiar and friendly.

Mei Ying, smiling, explained from the side, "Captain Li said he came specifically to thank you."

Her eyes also held a trace of curiosity; she clearly didn’t know what new merit Yang Qi had earned with the police, but she was tactful enough not to ask.

Yang Qi played along with a smile, stepping aside to invite them in. "It’s not a pair of handcuffs, is it?"

"I couldn’t bear to put those on you," Li Hongqi said with a laugh and a shake of his head as he led the way inside.

Mei Ying and the two police officers followed him in.

The living room of the residence wasn’t large, but it was clean and tidy.

Yang Qi invited them to sit and efficiently poured them some tea.

Li Hongqi took a sip of tea to wet his throat, then pulled a document from his briefcase, presenting it solemnly to Yang Qi with a smile.

"Take a look. What do you think of this gift?"

Yang Qi took it and saw it was an "Employment Contract" stamped with the official seal of the Hongshu Branch.

The contents outlined an offer to hire Yang Qi as a special consultant for criminal investigation matters for the Hongshu District Public Security Bureau, with a term of three years.

The terms of the contract were clear, defining the consultant’s rights and responsibilities. It was a part-time, non-office-based position with no fixed salary, but a stipend would be provided based on actual case involvement. The amount wasn’t high, but its symbolic value far outweighed the monetary gain.

This effectively gave Yang Qi a semi-official, police-sanctioned special status!

With this status, many things would become much more convenient in the future. It was also a form of implicit protection and endorsement.

Yang Qi was pleasantly surprised. This was indeed a generous gift.

"Captain Li, is there a gift for Xiaojiu?" Yang Qi asked jokingly.

"Haha, I knew you’d ask!"

Li Hongqi roared with laughter and gestured to the young officer holding the bag.

The officer immediately took two items out of the bag and placed them gently on the coffee table.

One was an exquisitely made certificate of honor, its cover emblazoned with a police insignia.

The other was a small, delicate metal police badge that could be worn or hung, attached to a retractable black cord.

Li Hongqi pointed to the two items and said with a smile, "After deliberation by our branch’s Party committee and approval from higher-ups, we have decided to specially confer upon the meritorious animal, the black cat ’Xiaojiu,’ the title of ’Honorary Police Cat’!"

"Here is the certificate, and this is the custom-made commemorative police badge. In addition, there is a special bonus of ten thousand yuan. Of course, the most important thing is..."

He paused, his smile widening. "Our branch’s cafeteria is always ready to welcome Comrade Xiaojiu to inspect and guide our work—with an unlimited supply of fresh fish!"

"HAHAHA~"

Everyone in the room burst into laughter.

Yang Qi chuckled as well, reaching out to get a closer look at the small police badge.

[Congratulations, Host. The Spirit Beast you are taming, "Nine-Life Mysterious Cat," has received a conferment from the Immortal Dynasty Office, bestowing it with great fortune! As its contractor, the Host will receive a portion of this fortune as feedback during cultivation, providing additional assistance and support during enlightenment and breakthroughs!]