Chapter 131: Chapter 123: Xiaojiu’s Show Time

"Alright."

Wang Mengguo’s expression turned serious. "Advisor Yang, it’s settled then. Xiao Jun will coordinate the specific operational details with you, including the infiltration route, camera placement, extraction methods, signal transmission, and so on."

"As for getting Bai Wan familiar with the smell of the drugs, we can arrange that this afternoon. Li Nan, you’ll be in charge of coordinating it."

"Yes, sir!"

Xiao Jun and Li Nan responded at once.

"Whatever the outcome, thank you for your help this time, Advisor Yang!" Wang Mengguo thanked him again.

"I should be the one thanking you, Wang Detachment, and all the officers for your trust," Yang Qi said sincerely.

With the main points of discussion settled, Wang Mengguo had other matters to attend to and took his leave first.

Li Hongqi left as well.

Xiao Jun and Li Nan stayed behind to discuss the operational details with Yang Qi.

This included the terrain around the factory, possible patrol patterns, the best time and route for Xiaojiu’s infiltration, the camera’s battery life and transmission range, and emergency plans in case something went wrong.

Yang Qi also provided additional details about Xiaojiu’s habits and abilities.

They exchanged contact information and agreed to stay in touch.

After leaving the drug enforcement detachment’s office building, he went to the parking lot.

Yang Qi found that Li Hongqi hadn’t left; he had been waiting for him.

"Advisor Yang, drug traffickers are desperate men. They know that getting caught is a dead end, so they’ll fight back like madmen. They’re almost always armed."

Li Hongqi said with a serious expression, "So, you must be extremely careful during the operation. Don’t do anything you’re not supposed to, and don’t try to be a hero. Your main responsibility is the initial reconnaissance and the follow-up search. The guys from the drug enforcement team will do their utmost to ensure the safety of you and your animals."

"Don’t worry, Captain Li. I understand."

Yang Qi smiled, his eyes calm.

He was no longer the ordinary zookeeper he had been when he first acquired the system.

He was at the Second Level of Qi Refining and possessed the Geng Metal Sword Pointing attack magic, the Entanglement Technique and Small Transport Technique for support and control, not to mention a Body Protection Talisman and the Spirit Crane Body Technique.

As long as he wasn’t surrounded by heavy firepower, his ability to protect himself, and even fight back, had been greatly enhanced.

Seeing that Yang Qi’s expression was composed and not just a facade of calmness, Li Hongqi felt a little more at ease and reached out to pat Yang Qi on the shoulder.

"Good. Hearing you say that sets my mind at ease!"

...

That afternoon, as arranged, Yang Qi drove Bai Wan back to the drug enforcement detachment.

Under Li Nan’s arrangement, Bai Wan was taken to a special training room. 𝗳𝐫𝚎𝗲𝚠𝚎𝗯𝕟𝐨𝘃𝚎𝗹.𝗰𝗼𝗺

An experienced K-9 handler explained the procedure.

Bai Wan did not disappoint Yang Qi.

It already possessed extremely high spiritual intelligence, and after undergoing a Spirit Awakening and being nourished by Spirit Rice long-term, its intelligence far surpassed that of ordinary dogs.

Under the joint guidance of the handler and Yang Qi, it quickly memorized the distinctive, pungent scents of several types of drugs—odors that might be faint to humans but were exceptionally sharp to canines.

It could even determine the approximate location of a sample by detecting minute differences in scent concentration.

The entire learning process was so swift and efficient that Li Nan and the few drug enforcement officers accompanying him looked on with astonishment, finding it somewhat hard to believe.

’A dog that has never had any drug-sniffing training can perform at this level so quickly?’

Sensing their doubt, Yang Qi proactively suggested,

"Officer Li, if you’re not convinced, we can set up a simple simulated search test to see Bai Wan’s practical application skills."

Li Nan had been thinking the same thing and immediately agreed.

In a vacant warehouse area, several specially made "target items" containing trace amounts of drug scents were hidden at random.

On Yang Qi’s command, Bai Wan entered the warehouse. Its nostrils flared rapidly and its eyes were focused. With almost no hesitation or detours, it precisely and swiftly found all the hidden spots.

The speed with which it completed the task left the officers participating in the test, as well as the K-9 handler, secretly speechless with amazement.

"Incredible! Absolutely incredible!"

Li Nan’s face finally broke into an expression of unconcealed surprise and admiration. He stared at Bai Wan, who was sitting calmly and steadily at Yang Qi’s feet, his gaze fervent.

"This olfactory sensitivity, this search efficiency... it’s on par with some of our decorated K-9s that have been training for two or three years."

"Advisor Yang, your animal training skills are simply divine!"

The other officers also chimed in with praise.

The training cycle for K-9s is long, the attrition rate is high, and outstanding drug-sniffing dogs have always been a scarce resource.

The abilities Bai Wan demonstrated made every one of them burn with envy.

After Xiao Jun heard about the situation from Li Nan, his attitude toward Yang Qi became even more enthusiastic.

The two of them started trying to get closer to Yang Qi, their words filled with praise for Bai Wan’s abilities.

Yang Qi handled it with grace, maintaining the perfect amount of distance.

...

Evening arrived, the sun setting in the west.

Yang Qi finished his work at the Zoo as usual.

After closing time, he took the giant panda, Tuantuan, for a stroll along their usual path, fed him two "special" apples coated with a tiny amount of Vitality Nutrient Cream, and returned the once-again-happy national treasure to the Panda Hall.

Afterward, he returned to his dorm and gathered the now-ready Xiaojiu, Bai Wan, Hu Zi, and Leopard.

Ta Xue, being a clouded leopard, was not suited for the mission, so Yang Qi left him behind to watch the house.

As night fell, Yang Qi drove his four "special operatives" out of the Zoo and rendezvoused with Xiao Jun, Li Nan, and the elite drug enforcement team they were leading, who were already waiting at the appointed location.

Under the cover of darkness, the convoy headed toward a remote area on the border of Lantian District and Lishan County.

...

Instead of heading directly to the drug manufacturing plant, the convoy turned off several miles from the target, entering the courtyard of an abandoned factory that had long ceased production and had been secured by the police beforehand to serve as a temporary staging point.

Engines cut, headlights extinguished. Everyone—human and animal—waited silently in the darkness, the only sound the occasional cry of a night bird in the distance, breaking the silence.