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Super Zoo-Chapter 648 - 639: Declaration of Allegiance
A fierce battle quickly came to an end.
It was a disaster for the lynx family led by Suming.
On the side of the escaping animals, there were creatures from land, sea, air, and even underground. With a complete array of forces and a clear numerical advantage, plus several strong fighters in their ranks, the once-dominant lynx family led by Suming had almost no power to fight back.
They couldn't even run away.
The battle turned into a siege, and the siege soon became a beating...
After being slapped by the grizzly boss and sent flying against a tree, the lynx family led by Suming completely gave up their resistance.
Among the animals present, many were carnivores, including those pet dogs. Strictly speaking, their ancestors didn't grow up eating dog food; in their bones, they still had the blood of meat-eaters flowing.
Fighting like this consumes a lot of energy, and a group of fleeing animals were already famished on their way here. Now, one by one, their eyes turned green with greed as they stared ominously at the muscular Suming.
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The lynx family felt like crying. Damn, we've been beaten, and now they want to eat us too?! What kind of world is this?
In a humiliating bid for survival, to save their own lives, the lynx family had no choice but to contribute the food they had hidden in their den.
Watching a feast unfold before their eyes, Suming's heart bled as their food, accumulated over several days, was devoured by these savage uninvited guests.
The problem for herbivores was relatively easier to solve; wild fruits, grasses, and flowers were everywhere in the mountains. Although they might not be to everyone's taste, it was enough to ensure they wouldn't go hungry.
Uncle Vulture was a bit unhappy. He preferred to eat carrion. Although the private stash offered by the lynx family was all dead animals, they were far from the decayed state he favored.
While eating, he looked at the lynx family with dissatisfaction clear in his eyes and nose.
The grizzly boss was similarly unhappy.
It liked to eat fish, and Taimen and salmon from the Atlantic were its favorites. The unidentified animal's thigh in its mouth tasted strange and unappetizing.
Unhappy, the grizzly boss unfairly took it out on the nearby Suming, delivering a fierce slap for even the smallest movement. Tufts of fur flew from their heads, almost becoming a spectacle like Uncle Vulture's flock.
This is my fault too? The lynx family thought these animals were being completely unreasonable.
Before long, the food reserves of the lynx family were completely depleted.
And just then, no more than two kilometers away, the police dogs picked up the scent of the animals and, following it, led a capture team towards them.
Suming prayed fervently—it was like disaster fell from the sky when one was just sitting idly at home, meeting a star of misfortune the moment one stepped outside. He hoped these insatiable bullies would just eat their fill and leave, the farther the better.
Full bellies bring on drowsiness, even in animals. Much to Suming's despair, many started to lazily lie about and rest after their meal.
Two pandas leaned against a tree, munching on some straw, their eyes rolling as if deep in thought.
After spending considerable time with Suming at Yangchuan City Zoo, they were anything but foolish. Actually, they were quite shrewd.
Instinctively, they felt that this place wasn't safe. Despite being surrounded by mountains, it was just a few kilometers away from the outskirts, making it easy for humans to catch up.
Yingying had often wandered around with Suming when Lele was pregnant, clashing with Huiya's pack of dogs in the mountains behind the zoo, well aware of how keen their noses were. Every time they entered the mountains, the dogs would detect them from afar.
Leaning against the tree, Yingying actually missed those times, sneaking glances at Lele and wishing it could be pregnant every day so that they could enjoy daily antics.
But looking at the little thing under its belly, Yingying sighed, feeling somewhat downcast.
Back to the matter at hand, it wasn't safe here. No, they had to keep moving deeper into the mountains!
Yingying and Lele immediately made the decision to continue moving into the deeper parts of the mountain.
With a roar, they gathered their followers. Using both hands and feet, they climbed onto the back of a Shetland pony from England, directing the animals to move on. These ponies, usually ridden by children, never really grow big, standing barely seventy to eighty centimeters tall when fully grown. Plump and fluffy, they would grow thick long hair to keep warm in winter, looking at a glance like two big meatballs riding on mutated pigs.
Watching the large group of animals slowly leave their territory, the lynx family took a deep breath of relief.
Thank goodness, those damned rascals have finally taken off!
But the four big cats soon couldn't smile anymore.
Before long, the sound of barking echoed from a distance, and the wind carried over the scent of humans!
Hearing those sounds and smelling those scents, the lynx family's hackles rose!
Danger, lethal danger!
Humans with hunting dogs were a hundred thousand times more dangerous than all the animals combined!
After all, animal conflicts were internal class struggles. For instance, the previous bunch of rascals, as long as you fed them, wouldn't pick on you—the lynx family subconsciously ignored the fact that they had been beaten.
But humans were different. They wanted everything they saw, and everything caught in their gaze would be plundered!
Your meat would be eaten, your fur skinned to make coats, your claws and fangs chopped off to make trinkets to boast of their bravery, and the young lynxes would end up in a zoo, losing their freedom to become playthings for humans!
What to do?!
The lynx couple made a decision they wouldn't have even considered before: chase after that group of rascals and blend in with them!
In the animal world, might makes right. That bunch of bastards was numerous, and they even had two imposing pandas as their leaders. In the mountains, sticking with them would definitely pay off!
What's there to consider, just run…
The barking of the dogs grew closer, and the leopard Suming turned and raced in the direction the fleeing animals had taken.
…
"Report, a large number of animal tracks and droppings have been discovered…"
"It must be here, without a doubt!"
"Where are the animals?"
Based on the 'freshness' of the droppings, the animals had only left recently.
In other words, the humans were one step behind; the animals left just before they arrived.
Even though they haven't captured any animals, the team members heaved a sigh of relief.
They hadn't found any animals, but they also hadn't discovered any carcasses… There were some bloody fur and bones, but after examination by a veterinarian, it was determined that these were from local animals in the mountains, not from the escaping animals.
And there was droppings everywhere.
All of this indicated that the fleeing animals were still in good health and were gradually beginning to adapt to life in the wilderness, without any injuries or deaths so far.
There was something no one wanted to say out loud, but everyone understood:
The case was more or less clear now; all that remained was to 'apprehend and return' the fleeing animals.
But these animals were not real criminals, and even if they weren't caught, it wouldn't cause social unrest or affect the dignity of the law.
So, whether it was the leadership of the special team or the actual case officers, they all had the same thought: catch them if possible with all their might, and it would be best to bring them back.
But if they truly couldn't be caught, it wouldn't be too big of a deal. To step back, they'd rather not catch them at all than wish any harm upon the animals. If injuries or deaths occurred, the nature of the matter would take a turn for the worse. What was supposed to be a 'comedy,' at worst a farce, would become a tragedy with animals hurt or dead.
No one knew exactly what Xiangjiang Ocean Park was thinking.
If one were to guess, they definitely hoped to recover their losses and reputation, but they probably wouldn't wish for accidents involving animal injuries or deaths either.
"Leader, what should we do?" The veterinarian looked around. To humans, this place was deep within the mountains already, proceeding further would be somewhat dangerous.
The police leader heading the team furrowed his brows and quickly assessed the situation.
A squad of twenty-two people, equipped with plenty of tranquilizer guns, and with a decent supply of food and water left; if they persevered, they should be able to press on further.
Having come this far, seeing as the escaping animals were just ahead, he couldn't bear to give up now.
"Comrades, the time has come to fight a tough battle! Everyone is watching us, awaiting our good news. Whether it's for the sake of protecting the animals or considering the honor of Yangchuan City and everyone's personal futures, we cannot fall short at this moment! Rest here for half an hour, then continue onward into the mountains!"
…
Chasing and fleeing.
Several kilometers away, the four leopard Sumings had already joined the main troop.
The group of fugitive animals, led by the pandas, did not hesitate to welcome these four new comrades.
But, of course, since they were joining the gang, they had to show their worth somehow, right?
Qinling was vast with plentiful food, a natural treasure trove.
However, for these animals that had lived in zoos for years, it was also fraught with dangers.
The biggest issue was still food. The large number of fleeing animals was an advantage in a fight, but they also required a significant food supply.
Where in Qinling was there food, where were the powerful wild beasts that should not be trifled with at the moment, where could they hide… Only the local inhabitants knew this information.
The strongest fortresses are often breached from within.
With four locals to guide them, they soon had a clear picture of the surrounding area for dozens of miles.
The large group of animals, before darkness fell, moved en masse towards a small lake.
This natural lake had existed for who knows how many years, along with the streams up and downstream, it was rich in fish resources – the fish were large, fat, and particularly dumb…
The only trouble was that the lake was occupied by a group of about a dozen Yangtze alligators, and the nearby territory within a kilometer was their hunting ground!
The lake was considered a forbidden prize by the Yangtze alligators.
Yangtze alligators were mild-mannered and not prone to attack humans, but they were still carnivorous. If other animals came to the water's edge to drink or even stole their fish, they definitely wouldn't host their visitors with courtesy.
In fact, when the leopard Suming's family first moved from afar and passed by this lake, they were thirsty and went to drink water, only to nearly get dragged into the water by an unusually large Yangtze alligator and eaten.
Targeting this group of Yangtze alligators, Suming and his family bore a mix of public duty and private vengeance.