My 1995 Small Farm.

Chapter 944 Competing for Favor: A Perfect Response

By the time we got back to the farm, it was completely dark.

The family visibly breathed a sigh of relief when they saw him return.

"Why are you so late? Is something wrong?" Wang Susu asked.

"It's nothing, I just went to Yangtougou for a walk and helped them chase away two bears."

Chen Ling spoke casually, dismounting and handing the reins to Wang Zhenzhen who came to greet him.

Wang Susu sensed the danger in his words, and a look of worry flashed in her eyes, but she didn't ask any more questions. She just said softly, "The rice is warming up in the pot. Go wash up first, and I'll get you some rice."

In the yard, Kang Kang and Lele wobbled over, each hugging one of Chen Ling's legs, looking up at him and calling him "Dad."

Rui Rui, holding the crab-eating mongoose and leading the excitedly wagging-tailed Xiao Tie Dan, came over and asked with bright eyes, "Daddy, what does a bear look like? Is it fierce?"

Chen Ling picked up the two little ones, one in each arm, and laughed, "Impressive, but not as impressive as our Heiwa."

Upon hearing this, Heiwa proudly raised his head, his tail wagging like a windmill.

Little Jin quietly walked to the sink to drink water; it was always more composed than Blackie.

Little Iron Egg was being led by Rui Rui, but its bright black eyes were fixed on Chen Ling, and it was making soft "woo-woo" sounds in its throat.

Although this Tibetan Mastiff puppy is only a few months old, its inherent lineage is already beginning to show.

Seeing Heiwa and Xiaojin being petted and praised by their owner, while it could only be led by its little master, its competitive spirit rose up.

Tibetan mastiffs are naturally protective of their owners and crave their owner's approval.

Little Iron Egg struggled to squeeze to Chen Ling's feet, rubbed its head against his trouser leg, and then barked twice.

The meaning couldn't be clearer: I'm amazing too, and I deserve praise too!

Chen Ling looked down and laughed.

He put Kang Kang and Le Le down, squatted down and rubbed Xiao Tie Dan's fluffy head: "What's wrong? Does our little Tie Dan want praise too?"

Little Iron Egg immediately wagged its tail vigorously, stuck out its tongue, and its eyes sparkled.

"You're still young."

Chen Ling picked it up; it felt heavy in his hand. This little guy is growing so fast.

"When you grow up, you'll definitely be a good dog. I'll take you hunting in the mountains then, and you'll be just as good as Heiwa and the others."

Little Iron Egg seemed to understand, and made two satisfied "woo-woo" sounds, sticking out its tongue to lick Chen Ling's hand.

Just then, two enormous figures silently approached.

Ah Fu and Ah Shou had wandered over from the backyard sometime earlier. The two tigers had taken a bath in the old river bend today, and their fur was still wet and glistening softly in the moonlight.

They seemed exceptionally excited, probably because they had a great time playing in the water and their exuberance hadn't subsided yet.

Afu first approached Chen Ling and gently nudged Chen Ling's shoulder with its huge head, controlling the force just right—affectionate without knocking him over.

It made a purring sound from its throat, just like the big cat we keep at home.

Not to be outdone, Ah Shou stood upright and placed his two front paws on Chen Ling's shoulders.

It often does this action, but every time it leaves Wang Zhenzhen and Rui Rui, who are standing next to it, dumbfounded.

The tiger was so big that when it stood up, it was much taller than Chen Ling.

"Alright, alright, I know you guys had a great time today."

Chen Ling smiled and pushed Ashou away, then rubbed Afu's big head: "You're still wet, don't rub against people."

Afu wouldn't listen and nudged him with her head again, her amber eyes full of affection.

Ah Shou lowered his head and licked Chen Ling's hand with his rough tongue.

The tongue had barbs, but the pressure was very light, only making one feel itchy.

Wang Susu came out of the kitchen carrying a bowl of reheated food. Seeing this scene, she couldn't help but laugh and said, "Look at you, you've been surrounded by them as soon as you came back. Make way, make way, let A-Ling eat."

Heiwa and Xiaojin obediently stepped aside, but their eyes were still fixed on Chen Ling.

Afu and Ashou obediently lay down, but their massive bodies still surrounded Chen Ling, as if to say, "This is our master, and no one can take him away."

Chen Ling felt a warm glow in her heart.

These animals, from dogs to cows to eagles to tigers, all trusted and relied on him.

This feeling of being relied upon is more real than any fame or fortune.

He sat down at the stone table, where Wang Susu had already set out the food: a large bowl of millet porridge, two scallion pancakes, a dish of pickled vegetables, and stewed chicken that she had specially reserved for him.

"Where's Brother Hua?" Chen Ling asked.

"He hasn't come back yet. He said he ate with Lynx in the county town when he left."

Wang Susu sat down opposite him: "Did you really encounter a bear in Yangtougou today?"

"Yes, two, one male and one female, the female is with her baby."

Chen Ling took a bite of the pancake and mumbled, "But it's okay, Heiwa and Xiaojin chased them away."

He spoke casually, but Wang Susu knew him well enough to understand that it was definitely more than just "driving away".

But she didn't press the matter. She simply said softly, "Next time you go into the mountains, bring more people with you. Even though you're very capable, you never know what might happen in the mountains."

"understood."

Chen Ling agreed, but his mind was on something else.

After dinner, Chen Ling helped clear the dishes and then said to Wang Susu, "I'm going out for a bit to take them for a walk and run some errands in the county town."

"Going to the county town so late?"

Wang Susu looked at the sky; it was completely dark, with only moonlight shining into the courtyard.

"Yes, we need to report this to the police station."

Chen Ling explained, "Traces of yellow chrysanthemum have been found in Yangtougou. We need to let the county know about this so that all villages can be alerted."

Upon hearing "Guoshanhuang," Wang Susu's expression turned serious.

She was a local and had heard the legends of the Yellow Mountain Monster from the older generation since she was a child. She knew that the monster was more terrifying than a tiger.

"Then... be careful."

"Don't worry, I've brought Afu and Ashou with me."

Chen Ling laughed and said, "With them around, what would dare to come near?"

This is not bragging.

The deterrent effect of two tigers is more effective than any weapon.

Chen Ling changed into a neat outfit, called over Heiwa and Xiaojin, and then greeted Afu and Ashou.

When Little Iron Egg saw that its owner was about to leave, it became anxious and ran around in circles, biting Chen Ling's trouser leg and refusing to let go.

"You want to go too?" Chen Ling looked down at it.

Little Iron Egg barked twice, its tail wagging rapidly.

"Alright, I'll show you around."

Chen Ling picked it up and placed it on the back of the little green horse.

This little guy is still small and can't keep up with the big dogs when he runs.

Rui Rui ran over carrying a crab-eating meerkat: "Daddy, I want to go too..."

"You can't, it's too late, stay home and sleep."

Chen Ling patted his son's head: "Tomorrow, Dad will take you to the river to catch fish."

Although Rui Rui was disappointed, she still obediently nodded.

And so, a peculiar group set off under the moonlight.

Chen Ling rode at the front on a small blue horse, with a small Tibetan mastiff lying on its back.

Heiwa and Xiaojin stood guard on either side, their ears perked up and their eyes alert.

Afu and Ashou followed behind the horses, their massive bodies casting long shadows in the moonlight, their steps measured yet exuding an air of authority.

On the road from the farm to the village entrance, villagers returning home late saw this group and stopped at a distance.

"Fugui, where are you taking the tiger so late at night?" a bold villager asked from a distance.

"I'm going to the county town to take care of some business." Chen Ling answered loudly, "Villagers, make sure to lock your doors at night; things haven't been peaceful in the mountains lately."

"Hey, I got it!"

The villagers watched the procession disappear into the distance, and began to murmur amongst themselves.

"What has Fugui discovered this time? He's even brought a tiger with him."

"It must be something big. Didn't you hear him say that things aren't peaceful in the mountains?"

"With wealth and tigers around, our village should be safe..."

After leaving the village, we got onto the dirt road leading to the county town.

The moonlight was bright, and the road was fairly clear.

The night breeze swept across the fields, bringing with it the fragrance of wheat seedlings and the moist scent of the distant river.

Little Iron Egg was going out at night for the first time. He was so excited that he looked around on horseback and barked every now and then.

Little Green Horse didn't seem to like having a dog on its back. It snorted but didn't throw Little Iron Egg off.

It knew this was its owner's treasure and a companion in the family.

Afu and Ashou were very quiet. They had excellent night vision, so walking at night was no problem for them.

It would only occasionally stop, looking warily at the trees or bushes by the roadside, making a low "woofing" sound in its throat.

Chen Ling knew that this was what they had discovered.

But they are mostly small animals like rabbits and foxes, not worth paying attention to.

After walking for about half an hour, the lights of the county town in the distance gradually became clear.

Once we reached the outskirts of the city, there were more pedestrians and vehicles on the road.

Although it was already eight or nine o'clock in the evening, it was early summer and the nights weren't cold, so there were still people walking around at this time.

but……

When pedestrians saw Chen Ling and his group approaching, their first reaction was to freeze, and their second reaction was to quickly move away.

"Oh my god! A tiger!"

"Run! There's a tiger!"

"That's...that's Chen Fugui from Chenwangzhuang! I've seen him take a tiger to the street!"

"Yes, yes, it's him, don't be afraid, don't be afraid..."

Fear and curiosity intertwined among the crowd.

Some people were so frightened that they hid in the shops by the roadside, while others bravely stood at a distance to watch. Some children excitedly pointed at Afu and Ashou and said, "Look, a big tiger! A really big tiger!"

Chen Ling was already used to this kind of scene.

He told the little blue horse to slow down and called out to the people by the roadside, "Fellow villagers, don't be afraid, tigers don't hurt people, we're just passing by."

That being said, the visual impact of two live tigers walking down the street is simply too strong.

Even the dogs in the shops on the street were too scared to bark when they smelled the tiger; some even cowered in corners, trembling.

Seeing the dogs' frightened expressions, Little Iron Egg proudly raised its head and barked twice, as if to say: Look how powerful my master is!
Soon, the news reached the county public security bureau.

As soon as Chen Ling arrived at the entrance of the Public Security Bureau, Captain Li and several other people came out to greet him.

"Brother Fugui, what you've done..."

Captain Li looked at the two tigers behind Chen Ling and said with a wry smile, "Every time I see you, you always have quite a show of force."

"Brother Li, I'm sorry to bother you so late." Chen Ling dismounted. "It's urgent."

"Let's go inside and talk."

Captain Li quickly ushered Chen Ling into his office, as for Afu and Ashou...

Let them stay in the yard. The police station yard is big enough, and these two tigers are obedient. Let them stay.

Heiwa and Xiaojin followed inside, and Xiaotiedan skipped along behind.

Captain Li glanced at Little Iron Egg and chuckled, "Another new member?"

"It's a Tibetan Mastiff that a friend gave me; it's still a puppy," Chen Ling said, sitting down in a chair.

There were several police officers in the office. When they saw Heiwa and Xiaojin come in, they were a little nervous, but they remained relatively calm.

They all knew it was Chen Ling's dog and wouldn't hurt anyone.

Little Iron Egg, on the other hand, was curiously sniffing around the office when Chen Ling called him back.

"Brother Li, make this quick."

Chen Ling said with a serious expression: "Today I went to Yangtougou and found traces of Huanghuang in the mountains there again."

"Over the mountain yellow?!" Captain Li suddenly stood up, his face changing drastically.

The other police officers in the office also gasped in shock.

They were all locals and knew all too well what the words "Guoshanhuang" meant.

The situation caused widespread panic at the beginning of the year.

"Are you sure?" Captain Li asked in a deep voice.

"determine."

Chen Ling took out a small cloth bag from his pocket, opened it, and inside were a few strands of yellowish-brown hair.

"This was found in the Yangtougou forest, and there are paw prints on it."

"In addition, my little blue horse ran away a few nights ago and got injured there. The wound looks like it was scratched by a large feline, but it wasn't a leopard."

Captain Li took the hair and examined it carefully before passing it on to other police officers.

The faces of the group were all grim.

"Yangtougou is too far from the county seat, we need to send more people."

A young police officer murmured.

"Brother Fugui, please tell me the details."

Captain Li sat down again and took out his notebook.

Chen Ling recounted in detail what he had seen and heard in Yangtougou that day, including the discovery of the bear, the chase away of the bear, and the discovery of traces of the wild goose.

He omitted the specific details of Heiwa Xiaojin's battle with the black bear, only saying "the bear was driven away," focusing on the wild chrysanthemum.

After listening to Chen Ling's account, the office fell silent.

After a long pause, Captain Li took a deep breath: "This is a huge problem. This weasel is even harder to deal with than a tiger. If it really is active in the Yangtougou area, several nearby villages will be in danger."

"I think so too."

Chen Ling nodded: "That's why we came to report the case overnight, hoping that the county will take it seriously and remind all villages to strengthen their defenses."

"It's more than just a reminder."

Captain Li stood up and paced around the office: "We need to organize militia patrols, report to the city, or even the province... This thing is no ordinary wild animal; it needs to be treated as a special case."

He stopped and looked at Chen Ling: "Brother Fugui, do you have any suggestions? You have experience dealing with this kind of thing."

The last time wolves appeared in Yangtougou, it was Chen Ling who took them down, and they all believed him.

Chen Ling pondered for a moment: "First, immediately notify Yangtougou and the surrounding villages that they should not go out alone at night, and that they should lock doors and windows and keep livestock safe. Second, organize militiamen to patrol at night, preferably armed. Third..."

He paused for a moment: "I can take Afu and Ashou to patrol the nearby mountains and forests. The tiger's scent can deter most wild animals. Although the Yellow Tiger is powerful, it should be wary when it smells a tiger."

Captain Li's eyes lit up: "That's a great idea! With you leading the tiger patrols, it'll be more effective than any other measure!"

But he immediately frowned: "However... this is too dangerous. Those 'over-the-mountain yellow' things are unpredictable, what if..."

“Brother Li, I’ve been dealing with wild animals for a long time.”

Chen Ling smiled and said, "I know what I'm doing. Besides, Afu and Ashou aren't ordinary tigers. They're intelligent and strong. Guoshanhuang wouldn't dare to mess with us."

He spoke with confidence, but Chen Ling knew the truth in his heart.

Ah Fu and Ah Shou have been drinking the spiritual water of the cave for a long time and eating the food produced in the cave. Whether in terms of size, strength or spirituality, they far surpass ordinary tigers.

With the addition of Heiwa, Xiaojin, Ertuzi, and others, his "animal army" is strong enough to handle most situations.