Beast Taming: I'm Really Just a Forest Ranger - Chapter 253 - 168: Aiming to Be the World’s Number 1 Bounty Hunter (Part 2)

Apparently, this Wind Raider Mouse is the main culprit behind the dwindling number of Youfeng Su.

Upon hearing this, Chen Yuan couldn’t help but look up at the Violent Cloud Sparrows with a peculiar expression, “A Wind Raider Mouse is gobbling up Youfeng Su right under your noses, and none of you noticed?”

“Chatter, chatter, chatter!”

The Violent Cloud Sparrow flock caused a commotion, and eventually, the Leader of the Violent Cloud Sparrow provided an explanation.

Their feeding time is in the morning, whereas the Wind Raider Mouse typically feeds in the afternoon and at night, perfectly missing each other.

Moreover, the Wind Raider Mouse hides deep underground, keeping its movements concealed, making it difficult to discover.

Over time, unable to find the real culprit, the Violent Cloud Sparrows could only attribute the decreasing Youfeng Su to various factors, such as bad weather, insufficient sunlight, poor water quality, and so on.

Some Violent Cloud Sparrows even suspected a traitor among them, secretly eating up the Youfeng Su when they weren’t looking.

“Chatter, chatter, chatter!”

Upon learning about the real culprit, the Violent Cloud Sparrow flock was eager to immediately dive into the dark hole and yank that pesky Wind Raider Mouse out to ruthlessly peck at its rear with their sharp beaks.

But the Violent Cloud Sparrows can fly, yet can’t enter holes.

So, the next step was quite simple: drive away this Wind Raider Mouse, and with adequate food, the Violent Cloud Sparrows would no longer seize Silver Pinecones.

This way, the conflict between the Violent Cloud Sparrow flock and the Juvenile Owl flock could be easily resolved.

However, before that, there’s another matter to address.

Chen Yuan asked Huo Hong, “What exactly is your bounty mission?”

Facing Chen Yuan’s question, Huo Hong answered truthfully, “It’s a task issued by a certain research institute, supposedly to study the relationship between the Wind Raider Mouse’s spiral tunneling behavior and the conversion rate of wind pressure energy, requiring a Tier Two Wind Raider Mouse for research.”

Even though he couldn’t fully understand the research topic, Chen Yuan still nodded.

Pet Beast research certainly requires Pet Beasts. However, due to various factors, Pet Beasts for research are in short supply.

Be it the Beastmaster Academy or various research institutes and units, all are actively seeking help from society or issuing related tasks to get more Pet Beasts involved in research.

These Pet Beasts differ from traditional lab rats; they often live quite well, with no worries about food and drink, and face no life threats.

At most… contribute a little blood and fur periodically.

If the Pet Beast wishes, it might even stay and have a family, perpetuating its lineage.

“I’ll help you catch this Wind Raider Mouse,” Chen Yuan offered proactively.

The Cyan Wind Hunting Dog lay on the ground, evidently defeated in its fierce fight with the Wind Raider Mouse, just in time for Chen Yuan to intervene.

“Awoo, awoo, awoo!”

Upon hearing this, Cola hastily barked.

I’ll do it! I’ll do it!

It planned to showcase its bravery, thoroughly impressing Huo Hong and the Cyan Wind Hunting Dog, thereby gaining its first batch of devoted fans.

Hearing this, Huo Hong reminded, “Advisor Chen, this Wind Raider Mouse is quite cunning and will keep tunneling to engage in evasive combat.”

“And… it will also feign attacks.” Huo Hong was still in disbelief recalling the earlier combat scenes.

The Wind Raider Mouse intentionally made noises underground, causing the Cyan Wind Hunting Dog to leap aside, thus playing right into the former’s hands, emerging from the ground and easily defeating it.

“Awoo, awoo, awoo!”

Before Chen Yuan could respond, Cola had already strutted over to the dark hole, peering in, but the Wind Raider Mouse was nowhere to be seen.

Standing there barking for a while, the Wind Raider Mouse still didn’t come out.

“Awoo, awoo!”

Cola was instantly frustrated, giving the ground a slap with its paw, but was helpless.

It wasn’t an Iron Head, unable to dig underground, let alone track the Wind Raider Mouse.

If only… Iron Head was here.

Chen Yuan also pondered, “It’s not about defeating the Wind Raider Mouse, but how to lure it out.”

Staying underground makes it untouchable, except for an Iron Head.

Or perhaps using powerful earth-type techniques, bombarding the ground to cause a massive tremor might drive the Wind Raider Mouse out.

But… the Fallen Meteor Horned Beast is only Tier One, not yet capable of such techniques.

That’s a major advantage of earth-type Pet Beasts, going underground, leaving the opponent helpless.

Just like how Spark can fly—once soaring in the air, the opponent’s attacks rarely hit.

Cola, however, could neither fly nor dig underground, only standing there dumbfounded, letting out powerless howls.

“Looks like, external assistance is needed,” Chen Yuan’s eyes glinted as he decided to send Spark back to the farm to call Iron Head over.

…

Faced with the big sister’s request, Iron Head, who has always idolized her, couldn’t refuse.

It could only repeatedly instruct the Duck and Electric Flying Cat to guard the farm, preventing any unknown Pet Beasts from sneaking in.

Half an hour later, Iron Head arrived by Chen Yuan’s side.

Considering the risk of the farm’s security being compromised with Iron Head’s absence, Chen Yuan looked around and decided to send the Fallen Meteor Horned Beast back to the farm first.

Since arriving at the farm, the little fellow’s life has been enriched, constantly well-fed, growing twice in size, and its power has improved markedly, gradually nearing Tier Two.

Along with the Tier Two prowess of Run Run Duck and the Electric Flying Cat, even in Iron Head’s absence, safeguarding the farm wasn’t a problem.

Moreover, the farm wasn’t far from here, and Spark could return any time.

“There’s a Wind Raider Mouse underground. Go and drag it out,” Chen Yuan ordered.

“Clang!”

Iron Head nodded firmly, face solemn and resolute.

It must finish the task swiftly, then hurry back to the farm to fulfill its duties.

Huo Hong hesitated, “Advisor Chen, that’s a Tier Two Wind Raider Mouse…”

The statement hinted at a lack of trust in Iron Head’s capabilities.