Forest Ranger, starting from Picking Up a Lynx Girl
Chapter 527 - 475: Wild Boar Rampage in the Forest_2

Sister-in-law raised an eyebrow knowingly but didn't continue to ask.

"Then you're quite like our Meihua. She never dated either. In university, some pursued her, but their intentions weren't very pure. Back then, she was completely immersed in charity work and couldn't understand others' behaviors."

As if casually complaining, Sister-in-law said a couple of sentences and then didn't continue, proactively changing the subject.

"You look quite happy coming back, did you discover something?"

When it came to cats, Chen Ying's expression relaxed a bit.

"Yes, I saw that tiger. A very beautiful tiger, it looks just about fully grown."

He imported the photos and showed them to Sister-in-law.

"Wow, it really is beautiful, it looks healthy too, a good tiger."

You could tell from the photos they were quite close during the shoot. Yet, the tiger managed to sleep relaxedly in such close proximity, proving why Chen Dade's reputation isn't just for show.

Along the way, they also saw many scenes of Chen Ying interacting with animals, even birds and reptiles, but those were small animals. With a bit of caution and food enticement, anyone could take interactive photos.

But tigers are different, these big fellows can truly be fatal.

Even if it doesn't kill, being badly injured could be even worse, right?

They chatted for a while, and as it got late, that group still hadn't returned. They tried calling on the walkie-talkie but got no response. Now even Sister-in-law stood up a bit worried.

"How about I go look for them?"

Guide Brother Li got up and packed his gear.

He had sent them to the designated spot in the morning and returned.

Dao Meihua and the others were researching plants right in that area. Since it wasn't far and the terrain was just a gentle slope, he left after confirming it wasn't dangerous.

Besides, they were a larger group with two assistants, relatively less risky compared to Dao Meihua Sister-in-law's side.

"I can guess where they might return from, I'll go backward to find them, and if I can't, I'll come back directly."

Chen Ying glanced at Dao Meihua Sister-in-law and another logistics member, "I'll go with Brother Li, we'll have company on the road."

"Be careful." Sister-in-law repressed her anxious mood, reminding them to prioritize their own safety.

Just as they were about to set off, the walkie-talkie sounded.

"Hey, Brother Ying, can you hear me? Coordinates xxx.xxx, come help quickly."

The signal on that end was quite poor, crackling a lot. Without careful listening, it was hard to make out the coordinates.

Knowing the coordinates made things easier.

Chen Ying and Brother Li hurried to the spot, which turned out to be a very steep cliff, fortunately not very high.

"Brother Ying, come quick, Ali is unconscious, and Brother Gao is also injured."

Not only those two were injured, but also the two logisticians and Old Gao's apprentice were hurt to varying degrees.

But Yin Li was the most seriously injured.

Most likely a humerus fracture, plus a head impact, possibly causing intracranial bleeding.

"Old Gao, can you manage?" Chen Ying tied a safety rope and slid down, first checking everyone's injuries, mostly superficial, but Old Gao's bones were always fragile. Although nothing broke this time, he sprained an ankle and was limping.

After examining Yin Li's injuries, Chen Ying determined his problems weren't serious, though mild post-concussion symptoms might appear.

"Glad you can manage, be careful, follow your apprentice up first, I'll go last. I'll carry Yin Li up, and you guys give me a hand at the top."

After sending everyone up one by one, Chen Ying tied Yin Li securely to himself with a rope, and with Brother Li's help, they successfully pulled him up.

Brother Li was the last to go up. In these mountains, he moved as if he had trained in martial arts, effortlessly climbing up.

They made a simple stretcher, carried the person back, and set him down. Chen Ying examined him again.

Among their team, one of the logistics members also had a first-aid certificate. After discussing with Chen Ying, they both deemed the issue probably not serious.

But regardless of how minor, anything involving the brain left everyone uneasy.

While Chen Ying and the other examined, Dao Meihua and the others briefly explained the situation to Sister-in-law.

"We were planning to come back, but while climbing up, we encountered a group of wild boars."

Encountering wild boars in the mountains is very dangerous. To protect Dao Meihua and Old Gao, Yin Li and the other two logistics split up to divert the foraging boars away.

Unfortunately, while evading, Yin Li slipped, fell backward, and hit a nearby tree. However, this slip also avoided the boar's impact, and he only rolled twice on the ground.

That boar initially wanted to charge back, but after seemingly sensing some danger, it stopped and ran off.

Only then could they call for help.

But due to poor signal in the mountain gully, Dao Meihua had to climb under the cliff with a walkie-talkie to barely get a connection.

"Wild boars? Are there many on the mountain?"

"There should be quite a few." Brother Li and one of the logisticians nodded in agreement, "Our village is relatively far, but we still have problems with wild boars wreaking havoc in the fields. Before coming here, I heard our township was forming a hunting team to deal with them. They planned to try hunting this month, with a target of ten boars, and a government subsidy of eighteen hundred per boar."

The guidelines for hunting wild boars are stringent. Without a gun license, firearms are forbidden. They can only use hunting dogs to chase them down and deliver the final blow with a knife or spear.

Now the market price for hunting dogs is also rising, and with the need for harmless processing, the actual profit is minimal.

Imagine, a vehicle, four or five people, a dozen dogs, plus drones for searching. Sometimes it takes days to find a single wild boar, paying for all expenses out of pocket, it's hardly worth it compared to working an ordinary job.

"Last year, the crops at home were severely damaged. My father and the villagers drove off the boars and were chased in return, resulting in a sprained ankle that took almost three months to heal."

When they talked about wild boars, Brother Li and several local young men had expressions of disgust and hatred.

Indeed, with fewer top predators, an incomplete food chain results in these problems.

In places like Jiamu Gully, big cats gather in groups. There's never a shortage of food, only the risk of running out.

With his brothers, Chen Ying never kept secrets.

He carried life-saving medication, prepared by his senior brother and teacher. The prescription and efficacy are certainly superior to ordinary products on the market.

With one pill, combined with acupuncture and applying herbal medicine, by evening at ten o'clock, Yin Li finally woke up, feeling a bit dizzy but not nauseous.

"His pulse has returned to normal, let's stay a couple more days and let him rest before leaving. And you all should recover from your injuries too."

Chen Ying brought plenty of topical anti-inflammatory medicines and ones for contusions and strains.

The group ate and applied medicine as needed. Those with minor injuries felt better after a good night's sleep.

Awake, Yin Li found it hard to sleep and unable to move much, he lay in the tent whispering with Chen Ying.

At that moment, the tent door was nudged open, and a furry head squeezed in.

Since Chen Ying's tent hadn't rested yet, the other two tents sealed their doors and went to sleep, awaiting a shift change later at night.

So when the Mountain King squeezed in, the others didn't see it, but it startled those in Chen Ying's tent into silence.

Chen Ying had just finished checking Yin Li's arm when he turned to see that expanding cat head.

He casually pushed it back out.

"You all rest first, I'll go check it out."

Chen Ying stepped out, pinching the scruff of the Mountain King to move it slightly away, then crouched down.

"I have something to do tonight, my friend got hurt by a wild boar, I have to take care of him. Can you play by yourself?"

The Mountain King tilted its head, sniffed Chen Ying's hand, then turned back into the tent, circled the lying Yin Li, lowering its head to sniff his hand and leg, then finally left.

After the Mountain King left, Yin Li finally exhaled a long breath he had held.

"I feel like that tiger came to pay respects to my body," he joked bitterly. Old Gao beside him tucked the blanket without speaking.

This tiger's presence was entirely different from the previous Elder Tiger and the two Northeast Tigers.

Elder Tiger had the benevolence of an elder; the Big Tiger and Dong Sheng carried an insecure timidity due to health issues.

This tiger, however, was different—it exuded authority and confidence, a natural elegance only nurtured by the wild.

Outside, Chen Ying watched as the Mountain King emerged from the tent, let out a low roar in his direction, then disappeared into the darkness with a few leaps.