Closer to Revealing My True Self
Chapter 192 - 159 Who is heavier between you two?_1

Chapter 192: Chapter 159 Who is heavier between you two?_1

The python hunting group arrived in Florida, and the hotel they checked into was not far from the research center. Just as Feng Yi and the others got to the hotel, they saw Steve jog over from the research center.

"I was thinking we could take a spin in the swamp before you got here, but the closer we get to the event, the stricter the management of the big swamp has become. I saw that entry into quite a few areas is explicitly forbidden today," Steve sighed.

"No rush, there are still a few days before the event starts anyway," Feng Yi said.

"You go check in first; Director He has called me over for a talk, so I need to go there," Steve said.

"Okay."

"Rest up today, I’ll take you to the research center for some fun tomorrow."

Steve hurried off after speaking, mumbling under his breath, "The old He just got here and already he’s lecturing me; after so many years, he still doesn’t trust me!"

Feng Yi followed the team to check in. Most team members were arranged in pairs, but Feng Yi’s request for a single room was approved. As one of the main python catchers, this small request could of course be fulfilled.

After quickly settling in, Feng Yi informed the team leader and then left the hotel.

Due to the time difference, most people in the group had gotten plenty of sleep on the plane and had arrived during the daytime. There were quite a few who were out adjusting to the jet lag by soaking up the sun early to adapt.

So, Feng Yi leaving the group activities was not an exception.

Similar to Yang City, Florida has mild winters due to its low latitude. It was sunny today, and the weather in Florida had been nice recently, with comfortable temperatures.

If the winter temperatures here were low, without enough warmth, cold-blooded animals like crocodiles and pythons wouldn’t thrive so wildly.

In the past hundred years, it was only during periods of climate anomalies when the winter temperatures plummeted and many crocodiles and snakes froze to death. The human losses were also significant; the disaster struck indiscriminately.

However, more than twenty years have passed, and the scars of the climate anomalies are no longer visible here, everything has returned to prosperity.

After leaving the hotel, Feng Yi headed to the address given by the butler, which was a parcel collection point. The compressed biscuits made by Chef Bing had been sent there.

That was why Feng Yi had applied for a single room!

Because he needed to eat!

To have extra meals!

A few big boxes of compressed biscuits in the room, how would he explain if someone saw them?

How could he have extra meals if there were other people staying with him?!

Even if the team didn’t agree to give him a single room, he would have paid for another room himself.

After handling the pickup procedure, Feng Yi had someone send the goods to the hotel. He then reported back to the old butler, telling him that the items had been successfully received.

Without immediately heading back to the hotel, Feng Yi decided to bask in the sun a bit longer and take a leisurely stroll.

Florida’s great swamp has a unique wetland ecosystem. Even in the dry season, Feng Yi could feel the moisture in the air and the scent of various animals. It seemed silent, but it was far from desolate.

True to the wild Florida, besides crocodiles, the python smell was strong.

Smelling the scent made Feng Yi itch to act.

There’s no rush; I’ll catch them once the event starts.

Billboards about the python-hunting event were along the roadside, and at a glance, several large "Python Hunting Event" signs were visible.

Taking out his phone, he scrolled through his messages, replying one by one to those he hadn’t yet answered.

He also saw a message from Feng Chi.

Feng Chi was complaining that the old man was inexplicably throwing a temper again and even smashed things.

[Heard it was quite a racket! Don’t know who set him off.]

Feng Yi replied with a few words, saying he had arrived in Florida and was not in the country. He probably wouldn’t be back until after the New Year.

Soon after, Feng Chi sent a message:

[Already there? I heard crocodiles are pretty famous over there! Have you seen any?]

While Feng Yi was typing a response, Feng Chi sent a video call request.

He pressed accept.

In the video, Feng Chi was in his bedroom, but his hair was slicked with gel, and his clothes were flashy, obviously having just come back from somewhere.

"It’s past 2 AM now in the country," Feng Yi said.

"Past 2 AM, still early; can’t sleep till it’s light out!"

Feng Chi’s nightlife was quite active. That day, he went to a friend’s birthday party and played until midnight before returning, which was considered early for him.

Partying was one thing, but also Feng Chi wanted to show certain people that he was without ambition and only knew how to enjoy himself; recently, there had been intense competition within the Feng Family, and he was afraid he might become a target, so he continued to maintain his carefree persona.

Feng Chi didn’t really have much ambition; at the moment, all he wanted was to peacefully wait until the old man settled the will. He didn’t want to get involved in anything extra, he laid low and stayed out of trouble, knowing that he would have a share of the old man’s possessions no matter what, and a little less didn’t matter to him.

Feng Chi was now in his own house, alone, with a completely relaxed demeanor.

"The old man has become more and more unpredictable, one moment he’s in a good mood advising the younger generation, the next moment he gets so angry he smashes things. Last time I went there, I wonder if that tea set I saw got smashed. Anyway, no one dares to go to the manor to make an impression for the next couple of days, afraid of being lashed out at. Rather than getting benefits, they might just be kicked out of the game. I see everyone in the family’s little groups guessing who annoyed the old man so much this time; that’s some skill! Like hitting a real sore spot! That project loss last week by so-and-so didn’t even make the old man this mad."

Feng Chi talked about the family matters on Feng Family’s end, and Feng Yi just listened without asking much or having any other thoughts. As for the old man’s wealth, he had already given up his claim when he left the Feng Family, so how it was divided was none of his concern.

So...

"Anyway, it’s none of my business," Feng Yi said.

Feng Chi felt the same way.

"I’m really envious of you!" Feng Chi reclined sloppily on the couch, "Being able to go abroad for a vacation at this time."

"Work! It’s work! I have to earn money!" Feng Yi emphasized.

"I’d want that job too if I had your skills," Feng Chi sat up from the couch, "Anyway, did you see any crocodiles there?"

"There are some at the tourist reception area; I saw them during the ride. You’ve seen crocodiles before, there are plenty at the Yang City zoo."

"It’s not the same! I’ve heard that in Florida, you could come across alligators just walking around; they might even crawl into your backyard! Haven’t you ever encountered one?"

"No..."

Feng Yi hesitated mid-sentence, looking up at something not far ahead.

At the intersection in front, a middle-aged man was carrying an alligator over two meters long.

"I see it now."

Feng Yi said, setting his phone’s camera to dual-view video mode, so that the screen could display the live footage from both the front and rear cameras.

"Wow!" Feng Chi exclaimed, watching the footage on the phone, "Such a big alligator! Is it okay to hold it like that?"

"The alligator’s mouth has been tied up," Feng Yi explained.

"Tied up mouth, but it still has a head, right? I feel like it could knock me out with one swing of its huge head! And the tail too, it’s not swinging its tail. Are Florida alligators this obedient?"

"It’s an American alligator, likely domesticated, so its temperament is milder, and perhaps it tested its limits when it was caught and realized it couldn’t win, so it became more compliant. Judging by its current mood, it’s stable, but if someone provokes it, it won’t stay so calm."

"That’s pretty impressive! At least the guy can carry it. Such a big one, and he’s walking with it." Feng Chi rolled up his sleeves, looked at his not-so-prominent muscles, and suddenly realized it had been a long time since he last hit the gym.

By the time Feng Yi reached the intersection, the man carrying the alligator had left. However, he picked up a bit of information from the conversations of passersby.

"It’s an alligator that ran away from the park. The guy who was carrying it is a conservationist. He caught the ’fugitive’ and is now taking it back."

"So, are there more alligators or pythons in Florida?" Feng Chi asked.

"Not sure, I’d guess there are probably more pythons."

"Then you’re set for the python hunting event, right? Just catch one, and it’s money! Brother, after you catch a python, take some photos and videos and send them to me. I want to see how they differ from those in the zoos," exclaimed Feng Chi.

"Sure."

After wandering around and basking in the sun, Feng Yi was on the lookout for food. There were too many tempting scents in the air, all making him hungry.

He visited several eateries, having a taste at each one, and only once he was satisfied did he return to the hotel to wait for the group dinner that evening.

A satisfactory first day in Florida for Feng Yi.

The next day, Steve took Feng Yi to the research center.

Feng Yi saw Cheng Si again, still with his filming equipment.

Steve spread his hands, "I owe the platform boss a favor, taking Little Cheng to shoot something at the research center."

Python hunting didn’t allow for filming to tag along; they would only take Cheng Si for a tour inside the research center before the event started, a minor request Steve agreed to fulfill.

The research center had some researchers who had long known Steve. However, there were rules, and only a limited number of people could be admitted at a time.

As a participant in the python hunting event, it was simple for Feng Yi to go inside for a visit. But Cheng Si with a media pass underwent a more complex review process, having to submit an application first.

Luckily, the application was quickly approved. Cheng Si paid an additional visit fee that satisfied the reviewing staff.

Steve led the two of them deeper into the center, telling Feng Yi, "We also need to borrow a boat from Old Josh. Though the event organizers rent out airboats, Josh’s boat is customized by himself, more reliable, and I’m more accustomed to using it. Renting his would be better. It was just lent out a few days ago; not sure if it’s back yet."

Airboats are common here, swamp artifacts, tangle-proof, and powerful, often used by tourists visiting the swamps.

Feng Yi followed Steve further in. The old research center had been severely damaged by storms during a period of abnormal climate, and the current one was newly built, larger and with higher safety standards.

Various animals were kept there, divided into many areas, and Steve first headed to the alligator section.

Before they even entered the area, Steve’s eyes lit up, his voice rang out, and he ran over.

"Hi~ Candy sweetheart~~~"

A blonde lady was standing with her back to them.

Hearing Steve’s voice, she turned around to look.

Steve quickly approached her, leaned down, and kissed the blonde beauty... well, the mouth of the small alligator she was holding, with a smack.

Feng Yi and Cheng Si: "..."

Oh, so "Candy" was the little alligator.

After kissing the alligator, Steve also petted it, then turned to the blonde lady, "Hi Katherine, have you seen Old Josh?"

The blonde lady pointed in a direction, "Over there, busy. One of the alligators has an eye issue, they’re examining it."

"Oh, I’m sure my old buddy needs my help right now!"

Steve said, leading Feng Yi and Cheng Si towards the direction Katherine had just indicated.

Upon arrival, they indeed saw several people busily engaged.

A nearly four-meter-long American alligator had three burly men sitting on its back.

Even with its mouth tied up, the alligator needed to be held down to prevent it from thrashing, making it easier to examine its eyes.

"Hey Steve, perfect timing, come and help!" an elderly white-haired man shouted from the front of the alligator, "We need another person to hold it down!"

Steve didn’t feel like going to press down on the alligator; he turned to Feng Yi and Cheng Si, "Which one of you weighs more?"

Cheng Si thought about reporting his weight, but Feng Yi stepped forward, "I’ll do it."

Steve felt Feng Yi was more suitable, not due to any weight advantage, but because he believed Feng Yi had basic experience and received more professional training, capable of staying calm in an emergency. If the alligator were to become agitated during the eye exam, the people restraining it had to respond calmly; panic would only further incite the animal.

As for Cheng Si... he couldn’t even handle a Trimeresurus stejnegeri.

With Feng Yi adding pressure, the giant American alligator calmed down. The others didn’t see any problem, thinking only that it was unusually cooperative today.

Steve was helping check the eyes, discussing the eye condition with Old Josh.

Cheng Si didn’t know Steve was mentally revisiting his embarrassing history; he didn’t dare come too close while others were busy, not out of fear of being bitten—the alligator’s mouth was tied, after all. His concern was startling the alligator; so, he kept a safe distance, lifted his camera, and took pictures and videos.

Watching the big alligator through the lens, Cheng Si couldn’t help but feel he could perceive a sense of world-weariness on its draconic face.