"Senior, you’re... you’re putting a lot of pressure on me."

Yang Qi sighed, looking out the window at the desolate land.

It was such a vast area. Never mind the future difficulty of construction and operations; the funds needed to acquire the land alone would probably be an astronomical sum.

Although he knew Pang Yunrui’s family was incredibly wealthy, a project of this scale was still beyond his expectations.

As if sensing Yang Qi’s concern, Pang Yunrui waved his hand, a shrewd glint in his smile.

"Junior, relax. Don’t be intimidated just because the area is large."

"To be honest, I didn’t spend as much as you’d think on ’buying’ this land."

"Oh?" Yang Qi listened intently.

"We’re using a ’special operating concession’ model."

Pang Yunrui explained in detail, "The nature of the land hasn’t really changed. It’s still forestry land, with some sloped farmland and unused areas."

"The Laishan County Government, and the city government as well, took a liking to our Dazhuang Group’s investment power and our promise to build a high-quality ecological zoo that would boost tourism in this remote region. So, they gave us a special long-term, exclusive operating concession."

"We can conduct legal business within the park and collect service revenue, like ticket sales."

"But in return, we have to accept supervision from the government and relevant departments, pay all our taxes in full and on time, and we have a responsibility to protect and improve the regional ecological environment."

"The real huge investments will be in the later stages: building the enclosures, setting up the internal road system, bringing in utilities like water, power, and communications, acquiring and conserving the animals, and assembling and running the operational team."

"The ’usage fee’ for the land itself is a massive saving compared to buying commercial land outright."

Pang Yunrui’s tone was quite self-satisfied.

It was a model that an ordinary company or individual would find very difficult to secure.

Only a large, reputable corporation like the Dazhuang Group, with deep local roots and a stable foundation in physical industries, could make something like this happen.

Yang Qi understood.

It was indeed a clever way to control initial costs while gaining the rights to use such a large area of land.

A great weight was lifted from his shoulders, and Yang Qi felt much more relaxed.

No longer burdened by the pressure of its sheer size, he began to truly see it from the perspective of a future zoo director. He enthusiastically followed Pang Yunrui on a tour of this "Animal Kingdom" of over five hundred acres, his imagination running wild.

’Where can we build into the mountainside? Where do we need to divert water for landscaping? Where would be best for hidden, comfortable animal shelters...’

It wasn’t until the afternoon that Yang Qi said goodbye to the still-energetic Pang Yunrui and his busy team, then drove back to the Donghua City District.

But instead of heading straight back to his dorm at the Zoo, he turned the wheel and, with Xiaojiu, Bai Wan, Hu Zi, and Leopard in tow, drove directly to the area behind the Zoo.

He parked the car beside a forest firebreak, led his furry companions deep into the woods, and found a hidden valley where the vegetation was particularly lush and full of life.

He had Hu Zi, Leopard, and Bai Wan spread out to stand guard, while Xiaojiu leaped lightly onto a giant boulder, its golden pupils scanning the shadows of the forest.

Yang Qi sat cross-legged in the center of the valley, his mind calm and focused, and began once more to refine the "Every Blade of Grass a Soldier" Divine Abilities seed.

As he mobilized his Magical Power, the surrounding plants immediately resonated in a subtle way. Leaves rustled without a breeze, emitting a faint wave of vitality that only those with a keen Spiritual Sense could perceive.

He lost all track of time in his cultivation. It wasn’t until the light in the forest grew noticeably dim and the last rays of the setting sun became sparse through the gaps in the leaves that Yang Qi slowly withdrew his power. He let out a long breath, a flash of cyan Spiritual Light flickering in his eyes before vanishing.

"Let’s go. Time to go home."

Yang Qi got to his feet and called out to them.

The furry companions immediately gathered from their posts.

Using the last sliver of light in the sky, they left the forest and drove back to the Zoo.

By the time his Jeep approached the small villa-like dorm near the mountain, the sky was almost completely dark.

Yang Qi parked the car at the courtyard gate. He had just pushed the door open and entered the house, not yet having a chance to turn on the light, when the phone in his pocket began to ring urgently.

He took it out and saw it was a call from Xiaoli, the technician responsible for recording the Beaked Eagle Qi Zai’s daily behavior, especially the data collected after its return from flights.

Yang Qi had just pressed the answer button, not even having time to say "hello," when Xiaoli’s anxious voice burst from the earpiece.

"Brother Qi, are you in your dorm? Qi Zai just flew back to the aviary, circled once without landing, and then flew off toward the staff living quarters!"

"It seemed to be heading right for your area! Is it...?"

Before Xiaoli could finish, a clear, loud, and piercing cry came from outside the dorm window, growing closer!

Still holding his phone, Yang Qi quickly walked out the door and looked up at the night sky.

There, against the hazy twilight sky, a huge dark shape was slowly descending, the fanning of its wings creating a gentle whoosh of air. It was Qi Zai!

It seemed to be confirming its location, circling twice before making a beautiful, gliding dive to land precisely on the stone wall of the dorm’s side yard. It folded its broad wings, tilted its head, and looked at Yang Qi with sharp, amber-like eyes.

"I see it."

Yang Qi said into the phone, his voice calm. "Qi Zai probably came looking for me. Don’t worry. We’ll deal with the data logging after I figure out what’s going on. I’m hanging up now."

"Ah? Oh, okay..."

On the other end, Xiaoli was clearly stunned and a bit dazed.

’A Beaked Eagle leaving its nest to actively seek out a specific person?’

This was yet another scene that shattered his understanding.

But he knew about Yang Qi’s special relationship with the animals, so he could only agree.