"Alright, Brother Qi. If you need anything, call me anytime. Goodbye."

After hanging up, Yang Qi put his phone away and his gaze fell upon the bird of prey on the courtyard wall.

A gentle smile appeared on his face as he used the Basic Spirit Communication Technique to ask a question.

"Qi Zai, what brought you back here all of a sudden? Did something happen?"

Hearing Yang Qi’s voice, Qi Zai let out a low rumble from its throat.

[There are injured Two-legged Beasts in the mountains.]

’Someone’s hurt?’

Yang Qi was startled and quickly followed up, "How many are injured? Can they still move?"

Standing on the wall, Qi Zai’s throat moved again.

[There are two.]

[One is lying by a rock, not moving.]

[The other is on the ground in the distance, moving very slowly, like an injured bug.]

"The one that’s not moving... is it dead?"

Yang Qi’s heart tightened as he pressed for details.

Qi Zai tilted its head slightly, as if recalling and confirming, before responding.

[I don’t know.]

[Qi Zai didn’t get too close, just saw it from up high.]

[Does Master need Qi Zai to go back and fly closer for a better look?]

"Yes, go back and confirm immediately!"

Yang Qi nodded decisively, adding a warning, "Hurry back. And be careful. Don’t rashly land or get too close. Just observe clearly from the air. Watch out for your own safety."

[Understood.]

Qi Zai let out a short cry in response. Its powerful legs pushed off the courtyard wall, its broad wings snapped open, and with a forceful flap, it kicked up a gust of wind.

SWOOSH—

Its massive body soared into the air once more, cutting through the deepening night like a black arrow, speeding back toward the depths of the rear mountain.

In the blink of an eye, it merged into the dark mountain shadows.

Yang Qi watched it disappear, his mind racing.

’Two people deep in the rear mountain... One dead and one injured, or maybe both injured...’

Decisively, Yang Qi scrolled through his contacts, preparing to call Deng Lei.

Just as he pulled up Deng Lei’s number but before he could dial, the phone screen lit up and rang urgently.

It was Xiaoli, the technician he had just spoken with.

Yang Qi answered immediately, speaking before the other person could. "I was the one who sent Qi Zai back into the mountains. It found injured people, and the situation is urgent. You don’t need to worry about what happens next; put the data recording on hold for now. I need to call for a rescue team right now, so I’m hanging up!"

"Huh? Brother Qi, injured people? This..."

On the other end of the line, Xiaoli was clearly stunned by this sudden news, but the seriousness and urgency in Yang Qi’s tone kept him from asking any more questions.

"Okay, okay, Brother Qi. You handle it. Call me if you need anything."

After hanging up with Xiaoli, Yang Qi didn’t hesitate, immediately dialing Deng Lei’s number.

The phone rang three times before it was quickly picked up. Deng Lei’s confused voice came through the receiver.

"Advisor Yang? Is there..."

"Captain Deng, it’s an emergency!"

Yang Qi cut him off without any pleasantries, speaking rapidly, "My Beaked Eagle, Qi Zai, the one I’m raising and training, just flew back from the mountains. It told me it found injured people."

"According to its observations, there are at least two. One of them isn’t moving, and the other is moving very slowly. The situation could be critical."

"What?!"

Deng Lei exclaimed on the other end, his voice instantly rising. But as an experienced Forest Police officer, he immediately zeroed in on the key points. "Where are they? The Beaked Eagle found them? Are you sure? Do you have specific coordinates?"

His tone was filled with disbelief, but based on his trust in Yang Qi’s abilities and character, he didn’t directly question the "unconventional" source of the information.

"Qi Zai wouldn’t lie to me. It’s intelligent enough to recognize this kind of situation."

Yang Qi’s voice was firm. He then added, "I’ve already sent it back to the location to confirm if the person who isn’t moving still has any signs of life. Its observation skills are extremely sharp, so it should be able to provide more accurate information. But we can’t wait for its report to take action!"

Deng Lei was silent for a second on the other end, clearly processing this unusual channel of information and the urgent situation.

He quickly regained his composure and made a decisive call.

"I understand. I’ll gather the officers on duty, grab our gear, and head to the entrance of the Zoo’s rear mountain as fast as possible."

"Advisor Yang, you’re familiar with the rear mountain’s terrain and you have a connection with that Beaked Eagle. I’m afraid I’ll have to ask you to come with us to help with the search and guidance!"

"No problem. I’m getting ready to leave now."

Yang Qi agreed, then paused and added a reminder, "Captain Deng, the injured could be ordinary hikers or backpackers who got lost or into an accident, but they could also be... someone else."

He didn’t say it outright, but Deng Lei instantly understood the implication.

The last time Yang Qi went into the mountains to cultivate, hadn’t he accidentally run into a fugitive drug lord?

In this vast and complex mountain forest, anything could happen.

If the injured were wanted fugitives, then civilian rescue teams wouldn’t be suitable to get involved, and the situation would require an even more cautious approach.

"I get it!"

Deng Lei’s voice also turned exceptionally grave. "I’ll make the necessary preparations on my end. See you at the rear mountain entrance."

With that, they both hung up.

Yang Qi put his phone away and looked at his quiet animal companions beside him.

"Xiaojiu, you stay here and watch the house."

Yang Qi ordered.

Xiaojiu meowed once and leaped gracefully onto the porch railing, showing it understood.

"Bai Wan, Hu Zi, Leopard, you three, with me! We’re going into the mountains to find someone!"

Yang Qi called to the three police dogs.

"WOOF!"

"WOOF WOOF~"

The three police dogs immediately straightened up, their ears perked, their eyes shining with alertness and eagerness.

Hu Zi and Leopard in particular, as former police dogs, felt an instinctive excitement for carrying out a mission.

Without further delay, Yang Qi quickly got into the car with the three dogs and started the Wrangler again.

The off-road vehicle let out a low roar as its tires rolled over the concrete, speeding toward the Zoo’s main gate.

Just as the car exited the Zoo’s main gate and turned onto the relatively quiet ring road around the mountain, the phone on the passenger seat began to ring urgently again.