Forest Ranger, starting from Picking Up a Lynx Girl-Chapter 279 - Diao Diao is Not for Random Petting (Extra - )

Chapter 279 -279 Diao Diao is Not for Random Petting (Extra Chapter)

Dao Meihua stood expressionlessly in front of the experiment table, staring at the dozen or so samples of medicinal materials in front of her.

After a long while, she rubbed her forehead and focused on analyzing the medicinal properties of these materials.

Over an hour later, she removed the analyzed materials from the equipment and was about to fill out a form when she heard Chen Ying calling her from outside.

“Forest Police said that the issue with the Yellow-throated Marten was due to rodents accidentally eating Physalis fruits. We’re planning to go check it out today, do you want to come along?”

Wild Physalis is not uncommon in nature; under normal circumstances, animals wouldn’t eat its fruit. So how the two rats managed to consume it, whether the Physalis fruit contaminated the water source, and other questions, all needed to be investigated.

Chen Ying and Xiao Shen were mainly going to check if there were other animals that prey on rodents showing the same symptoms as the Yellow-throated Marten.

Dao Meihua’s task was to analyze whether the growth of the Physalis was abnormal.

Experts in botany were as different from their expertise as mountains are separated by seas; lacking a botany expert here, Dao Meihua, who studied medicinal materials and had taken a minor in animal conservation, became their makeshift plant expert.

After all, Physalis was also considered a medicinal plant, which was her field.

She glanced at the remaining samples that she hadn’t started analyzing and decisively sealed them.

“I’ll be right there; give me three minutes.”

When she said three minutes, she meant three minutes. Dao Meihua changed into a coat, packed her bag, put on her hat, and hurried downstairs.

Chen Ying was instructing Little Sen to help tidy up the third floor, as Old Gao was returning tomorrow.

“Isn’t he quite seriously injured? He’s coming back tomorrow?”

“It’s no big problem, mainly just needs rest. He’s at home with his family fussing over him so much that he almost can’t stand it.”

Xiao Shen empathetically shivered and silently pursed his lips.

“No problem, the Protection Station is sending supplies over soon. I’ve asked them to help tidy up a bit; it’ll be quick.”

Little Sen had been running the emergency station for three months alone, building good relations with the young people at the Protection Station.

“When they come to help, you take out some beef to stew at noon, soak the tofu early too. Frying or grilling them is also good. You can also make them milk tea, just manage it, and don’t be stingy.”

Having finished his instructions, Chen Ying headed into the forest with Xiao Shen and Dao Meihua.

Dao Meihua was more familiar with the environment here, although in the past, she came for the cats. This time, her task was different; she needed to analyze the surrounding environment of the medicinal herbs.

Common herbs could be ignored, as they are found nationally.

Only those with strong regional characteristics needed to be recorded by her, and she also checked for any invasive species.

Near the habitat of the Yellow-throated Marten, there were no flowing water sources, but there were several small pools.

In the forest, spots like these are abundant; most animals would opt for better water spots to hydrate, but some small animals don’t need much water and can suffice with what they get from plants or food.

Upon entering the territory of the Yellow-throated Martens, they saw a little one standing on a branch, sounding an alarm.

However, upon clearly recognizing the newcomers, its warning call strangely hitched, turning somewhat joyous?

Then the Yellow-throated Marten descended from the branch, and after a few leaps, buried itself into Chen Ying’s arms.

It must be said, though fierce, Yellow-throated Martens had a pleasant feel to their fur.

No wonder city folks were keen on raising martens, for who could resist a warm marten scarf in the dead of winter?

But that’s only if you don’t let them release their scent gland!

Seeing the little one about to recklessly mark him with its scent, Chen Ying grabbed it by the scruff of its neck and moved it away from his embrace.

Standing beside him, Xiao Shen instinctively reached out to catch it.

“Don’t!”

Dao Meihua’s warning came a bit late, her fingertips grazing Xiao Shen’s sleeve as they twisted in midair to cover her eyes.

She didn’t need to see to imagine Xiao Shen’s fate.

Did everyone think they were Druid Chen?

Thankfully, Chen Ying reacted quickly, releasing his fingers the moment he heard Dao Meihua’s shout. The Yellow-throated Marten, leveraging its nimble body, twisted its lower half and climbed up Chen Ying’s arm.

Xiao Shen’s hand barely touched the tip of the yellow-throated marten’s claw before they parted.

Even so, a pinprick-sized wound was left on the pad of his middle finger.

Chen Ying didn’t bother with the marten but let it lie on his shoulder, issuing a warning to Xiao Shen.

“Have you been vaccinated before?” ƒгeewebnovёl.com

“I have, I have.” Being a veterinarian, he had to be precautious, never knowing when he might get injured while rescuing animals.

“There are antiseptic cotton balls in the bag, squeeze the blood out quickly, and disinfect.”

Chen would probably be less anxious if it were he who was injured, but it was Xiao Shen’s first time in the wild and his status was somewhat special; he couldn’t afford to be careless.

Blushing and with flushed ears, Xiao Shen followed the instructions and disinfected himself.

“Brother Ying, this little guy seems to be really fond of you…”

He hadn’t finished his sentence when he noticed that a group of yellow-throated martens had gathered around somehow. His face turned pale and his voice trembled.

Seeing that he handled it very standardly, Chen Ying breathed a sigh of relief and once again lightly tossed the little creature from his shoulder onto a nearby branch.

The yellow-throated marten landed successfully and immediately engaged in battle mode with its nearest peer.

“I’ve rescued them before.” Chen Ying pulled out his phone to log into the APP and check the location.

“We’re here, within a five hundred meter radius is our primary search area, don’t expand beyond a one-kilometer radius.”

After the three of them had checked the positioning points and area divisions on the APP, they each chose a direction and dispersed.

After the Forest Police results came out, the Protection Station’s Forest Patrol Officers had already received updates to their tasks, focusing on the search for bodies of accidentally deceased animals during their patrols and removing them.

Previously, only large animal bodies were processed, while small animal bodies were generally left undisturbed as they were part of the natural biological system.

You could tell animal preferences the moment the three of them split up.

Xiao Shen watched a group of yellow-throated martens cluster around Chen Ying as he walked away, his hand over his chest.

Damn, that struck hard!

On the other hand, Dao Meihua was used to it, put on her mask, and started working.

In her view, it was good for Chen Ying to take the marten; this way, she didn’t have to worry about disturbing these small animals during her work and causing unnecessary harm.

A five-hundred-meter radius was already quite large, but they didn’t need to search very carefully.

People familiar with the outdoors could almost tell the situation at a glance.

Having so many little helpers, Chen took on half the workload.

Two hundred meters away, he found a dying Physalis.

Looking at the maturity of the plant’s fruit and the traces of nibbling at its roots, he was pretty much certain this was the crime scene.

Indeed, from the group aggression and wariness of the yellow-throated martens, it was certain that the two mice they previously hunted were here.

Didn’t you see there’s an abandoned mouse hole nearby?

Besides the nibbled fruit and roots, there were also some trampled traces.

Shallow hoof prints formed a series of small puddles, with bits of fruit debris mixed into the water.

Sending a message to Dao Meihua, Chen Ying sent her the photos he took and his location, then continued searching in other directions.

As for why mice would nibble on Physalis fruits, he couldn’t find the reason now, but assumed it might be a side effect of eating something else.

It surely couldn’t be that both died by suicide; that would be too absurd.

From the hoof prints, it appeared that an adult antelope had passed through here; the nearby droppings might also come from deer.

Indeed, the station master was right; the animal density in the forest was much greater than before.

Perhaps before going to Budong River to see Er Niu, he needed to take a walk in the mountains.

More animals meant increased pressure on their wildlife rescue efforts.

Squatting on a small slope, Chen Ying observed a group of five antelopes at the bottom of the slope for a few minutes through binoculars, then stood up preparing to move in another direction when he heard a distant distress whistle.