Chapter 11 Jinya Who Became Obsessed with Feeding Humans

Meng Yan wasn't worried that Jinya would disappear never to return.

The lynx girl was clever and knew that her injuries hadn't fully healed yet, so venturing out could very well cost her life.

Animals too have their instincts; the pressure to survive compels them to choose the path most beneficial to themselves.

On the slope opposite the rescue station, the planting of a bamboo forest had begun a few years ago.

These bamboos were planted as a reserve food source, and over the years, the area had slightly expanded, attracting more small animals that primarily fed on bamboo.

The most numerous were the bamboo rats.

The presence of bamboo rats, in turn, attracted even more animals to settle in these mountains and forests.

A few days ago, Yin Li, while patrolling the mountain, had noticed signs of a large number of snakes. Besides taking Jinya out for a stroll today, Chen Ying had to spread some snake repellent powder near the bamboo forest.

This powder had been formulated by Chen Ying over the past two days using collected herbs – non-toxic, harmless, and without side effects. It was specifically designed to target the natural behavior of snakes.

When Yin Li went down the mountain to make purchases, he asked an aunt from the village to make two scent sachets filled with this powder. So far, the results seemed good, but it could also be that he was just lucky not to have encountered any snakes.

Chen Ying was here today to verify the effects of the powder once more; if effective, he planned to donate it to the rescue station and the village at no cost.

The teachers at the center would also go up the mountain to check the equipment and aid injured animals.

Reducing encounters with snakes and insects meant reducing the potential for injury.

As for the village, both Chen Ying's grandmother and Yin Li's grandfather were locals, so it was a small gesture to give back to their hometown elders.

While spreading the powder, Chen Ying also took the opportunity to check the surrounding area.

He found several nests of bamboo rats in the bamboo forest.

Was this density a bit too high?

If the number of lower trophic level organisms was too great, it might attract more apex predators, which wouldn't be good for the rescue station.

After noting down the potential issue, Chen Ying was ready to head back when he heard a rustling sound from the bamboo forest. Ten seconds later, Jinya ran towards him with a fattened wild rabbit in her mouth.

After putting down the rabbit, Jinya sat down primly, her eyes shimmering with tiny sparkling lights, her mouth slightly curved in a smile, excitedly looking at him.

Chen Ying was stunned for a second before lavishing her with words of praise.

"Jinya is amazing, that's two wild rabbits now, okay, today we'll roast one and stew another, should I save a thigh for you?"

"Ow, ow" – you eat; if it's not enough, I'll catch more for you.

What a little angel, a sweetheart, a darling this is!

Chen Ying hugged Jinya's head and gave her an affectionate kiss.

The two rabbits together must weigh a good seven or eight pounds, and even cleaned, they'd still be at least four or five pounds.

The rabbit fur was fairly intact; Yin Li skinned it with the intention of taking it back to the village to have his grandfather work on it – come winter, it could be made into a pair of rabbit fur boots for the elderly.

"Jinya is really impressive, at this rate, she won't need much longer before she can return to the wild. Little Chen, remember to file the application in advance, she'll be released right here, it doesn't require any special arrangements from above, but the center's PR staff may come to record a video."

Sister Dai came up to deliver their medical supplies and just in time to snag a bite of rabbit meat.

Knowing it was Jinya's doing, Sister Dai was also immensely fond of the feat and happily posed for a photo with the two rabbits...

There was no helping it, Jinya wouldn't go near anyone other than Chen Ying; even Yin Li couldn't handle her.

Since that day, Jinya acted as if she had flipped a formidable switch and couldn't stand to stay inside the animal shed for even a moment, always pestering to go out for a stroll during the day, and would even bring back various "gifts" ranging from small animals like wild rabbits, pheasants, to bamboo rats.

At night, she insisted on sleeping in the same room as Chen Ying.

Chen knew this wasn't good, but what could he do? Jinya's claws were formidable. If she wasn't allowed inside, she would scratch and howl all night long.

It made Leopard Sister so angry that she would hug her two cubs and join in the howling.

As for Meng Yan, this little rookie shivered in fear under the tyranny of the two big female cats and could only faint away.

Yin Li felt so sorry for him that, in three days, Meng Yan had lost at least a couple of ounces.

On the fifth day, Chen Ying conducted a final check on Jinya's wounds and confirmed that she had recovered very well and that reintroduction to the wild could be scheduled.

During this period, he consistently used the traditional veterinary medicine formulas provided by the system to enhance Jinya's treatment. There were no signs of inflammation or other adverse reactions, and the recovery speed was at least half a month faster than previous records.

He kept meticulous records in his daily work journal and would also contact his mentor weekly to discuss the results of individual treatment with Chinese animal medicines.

With the backing of his teacher, Chen Ying was able to treat Jinya and Leopard Mother with herbal powder without facing any obstructions; otherwise, as a little rookie, he would have been scolded by the leaders on his first day using the medicine.

The efficacy of the Snake Repellent Powder had shown clear results after a week of application.

The rescue station often had various snakes appearing from all sorts of tricky spots, but ever since the Snake Repellent Powder was used, there were no signs of snakes within a ten-meter radius.

Apart from Yin Li, Brother Liu, who often worked in the field, and his partner also praised it highly. Brother Liu even asked for more, willing to pay for it out of his pocket, to get a batch of the powder to use at home.

The majority of those who worked at the rescue center were locals used to rural life, and their greatest nuisances were all sorts of insects, snakes, rats, and ants.

Rat problems could be solved with poison or by keeping cats, but when it came to insects and snakes, they were a headache for any household.

Chen's powder was specifically effective against snakes, the effect on other insects was somewhat weaker.

That didn't matter though, as long as it kept away the venomous creatures, other insects weren't a concern; the locals didn't mind an abundance of bugs in the mountains.

"Brother Liu, this pack is all we have left here. It should last about three months. I've handed over the formula to the center, and I expect they will start distributing finished products to everyone in a few days. I sold the recipe to the center and got paid for it, so I can't just give it away. You might want to ask Director Bai if you can buy it at an employee discount from the center. It shouldn't be expensive; it's made from common ingredients," Chen explained.

Brother Liu understood the importance of the situation; he wouldn't always expect free handouts, or what kind of person would he be?

Brother Liu's partner was from out of town, assigned there after graduating from university, and didn't have much need for the powder. He promised that if the center distributed extra, he would give any surplus to Brother Liu.

After Brother Liu and his partner left, Yin Li found Chen Ying.

"Brother Liu's partner probably wants a transfer."

"That's normal. The place is scenic, but life is tough here, and the work is hard. Wealthy people crave the scenery, but for those without money, living in scenic areas can feel uncomfortable."

To each their own, it's best to meddle less in others' lives.

Yin Li made a casual remark. He had come to talk to Chen because he planned to patrol the entire mountain forest thoroughly in the coming week. The process could take anywhere from seven to eight days, and if things were slow, he might not return for ten days or even half a month.

"You're setting off now? Have you filed your report, and is everything prepared?"

Although they both belonged to the Forestry Bureau and spent their daily work and lives together, they were actually parts of two different units.

"Don't worry, I've already filed the report, just waiting for the equipment and then I'm off," Yin Li assured.

Forest Patrol Officers no longer solely relied on footing to measure the forests like in the past; high technology had enhanced work efficiency.

This patrol mission would include drones, work satellite phones, and also personal protective weaponry.

After all, the mountains housed not only jackals, wolves, leopards, and tigers, but also some humans without a shred of scruples.