Following the GPS directions, Yang Qi drove to Ao Village. The paved road ended there, giving way to dirt.

Yang Qi slowed down, and the Wrangler’s excellent off-road capabilities began to shine.

The dirt road quickly narrowed into a set of ruts carved out by tractors, and then even those disappeared.

Ahead of them was rolling wasteland, scattered piles of rocks, and patches of waist-deep weeds and shrubs.

A regular sedan would have been stuck long ago, but the Wrangler had a high chassis, plenty of power, and a four-wheel-drive system that gripped the ground with ease.

Yang Qi skillfully maneuvered the steering wheel, avoiding larger rocks and deep pits. He followed the general direction, carving a temporary path through the wilderness.

Hu Zi and Leopard peered curiously through the windows, watching the wild scenery blur past.

Bai Wan was even more excited, sticking his head out the window with his nose twitching as he took in the unfamiliar scents.

Xiaojiu remained curled calmly in the passenger seat, occasionally lifting his gaze for a quick glance.

The surroundings grew wilder, and dense thickets of bushes scraped against the sides of the Wrangler.

Finally, at the edge of a relatively open slope, Yang Qi spotted Pang Yunrui.

Pang Yunrui was standing beside a sizable pond at the bottom of the slope. His back was to the approaching vehicle, and he was pointing and gesturing as he spoke.

Besides his driver-assistant-bodyguard, Brother Liu, five other people were scattered nearby. They were all young—three men and two women—dressed in casual yet practical outdoor gear. Some were taking notes on tablets, while others were photographing the terrain with cameras.

Hearing the ROAR of the Wrangler’s engine approaching, Pang Yunrui turned around. A wide smile instantly spread across his chubby face, and he waved enthusiastically.

Yang Qi parked the car, and he, Hu Zi, Leopard, Bai Wan, and Xiaojiu all piled out.

"You made it, Junior!"

Pang Yunrui strode over to greet him. He gave Yang Qi a firm pat on the shoulder before squatting down familiarly to greet the furry companions gathering around them.

"Hu Zi, Leopard, Bai Wan, long time no see! Well, hello there, Officer Xiaojiu!"

His gaze finally settled on the black cat, Xiaojiu, who was sitting at Yang Qi’s feet. A mischievous glint appeared in his eyes as he turned and shouted to the five young people looking on with curiosity.

"Come on over and take a look! Don’t you dare say I was exaggerating anymore. This is the real deal, the badge-carrying ’Honorary Police Cat’ himself, Xiaojiu!"

At his words, the five of them immediately put away their equipment and jogged over.

Their eyes lingered for a moment on the retired police dogs and the Chinese rural dog before finally settling on Xiaojiu, who was jet black save for his brilliant, golden eyes.

"Oh, right."

Pang Yunrui straightened up, flung an arm out toward Yang Qi, and announced, "And this is the man himself! Yang Qi, Advisor Yang, Expert Yang! He’s the future director of our Xianlai Zoo and your boss from now on."

Then, gesturing to the five who had gathered around, he grinned at Yang Qi.

"Junior, these are the elites I hand-picked and poached myself. They’re the core members of our planning team, the future backbone of the Zoo. Come on, say hello."

"You’ve worked hard, Senior."

Yang Qi nodded. He looked at the five of them with a calm expression and smiled. "Hello, everyone. I’m Yang Qi. I look forward to working with you all."

"Hello, Director!"

"Hello, Expert Yang."

"..."

The five of them responded with smiles, their attitudes enthusiastic yet professional.

Their eyes, however, kept drifting back to the animals, especially Xiaojiu. Their curiosity was practically written on their faces.

A sturdily built young man in a baseball cap named Zhang Xin grinned. "Director, there was this classic cartoon called *Black Cat Detective*. Your cat looks just like the main character stepped right out of the show! He’s so cool!"

"I’ve seen that cartoon."

Pang Yunrui chimed in, turning to Yang Qi with a look that was half-joking and half-curious. "Speaking of which, Junior, why didn’t you just name him ’Sheriff’? It would’ve been so fitting and impressive!"

Yang Qi just smiled and said casually, "I didn’t really think about it. ’Xiaojiu’ was just the first thing that came to mind."

’In reality, the System’s official designation for him is "Nine-Life Mysterious Cat," but there was no need to mention that.’

Remembering the name Pang Yunrui had mentioned, Yang Qi took the opportunity to ask, "Senior, you said ’Xianlai’ earlier? Is that the name you’ve chosen for the Zoo?"

"That’s right!"

Pang Yunrui’s energy surged. He puffed out his chest and explained with a hint of pride, "Our land here straddles two administrative districts. Part of it is in the neighboring Xianliu County, and the other part is in Laishan County."

"Take the ’Xian’ from Xianliu and the ’lai’ from Laishan, and what do you get? Xianlai!"

"What do you think of the name? It has geographical roots, a touch of mystique, and a sense of promise. Pretty neat, huh?"

"Xianlai..." Yang Qi repeated softly, and his heart stirred.

’What a strange coincidence.’

’After all, the soon-to-be director is a genuine, bona fide Cultivator!’

He didn’t let it show on his face, simply nodding as he gave his honest opinion. "It’s a great name. Unique and easy to remember."

"Haha! The moment I put the two together, I knew it was the one!"

Pang Yunrui was even more delighted to have his choice affirmed. "I went ahead and registered our operating company as ’Xianlai Ecological Development Co., Ltd.’ too. Kills two birds with one stone, makes things easier!"

"Thanks for all your hard work planning, Senior."

Yang Qi expressed his thanks, his gaze drifting toward the body of water shimmering before them in the sunlight.

It was a large pond, stretching along a gentle slope with reeds growing thick at its edges. The water looked quite clear.

After sensing the spiritual quality of the moisture in the air, he asked, "Is this a natural pond? Given its size and clarity, is it spring-fed?"