Beast Taming: I'm Really Just a Forest Ranger - Chapter 67: Spark’s Discovery

Chapter 67: Chapter 67: Spark’s Discovery

The night breeze brushed past the mountainside, the silhouetted trees cast shadows, and the starlit sky sparkled.

Chen Yuan stood before the wooden door, observing closely: “The door shows no signs of damage, and it’s locked from the outside.”

This wooden door was particularly solid, able to effectively withstand the attack of large beasts.

If entering the house, two pieces of wood served as door bolts; if leaving, an ordinary iron lock was used.

“Awoo.”

At the same time, Cola stood on its hind legs, paws resting on the window sill, lifting its head to look inside—but the window was blocked by handmade curtains stitched from various scraps of fabric, completely obscuring the view of the interior.

“No need to look, Old Xing definitely hasn’t returned yet.” Chen Yuan patted Cola’s head, worry etched on his face.

All indications showed that Old Xing had not returned to the cabin; he must still be outside.

But it was already late at night, why hadn’t Old Xing come back?

Moreover, a more frightening thought emerged from deep within Chen Yuan’s heart—ever since the Spiritual Energy Revival began, Old Xing had stayed alone in the mountains, facing the progressively dangerous Qinling. Could it be that he’s already…

Chen Yuan shook his head, forcibly brushing off this terrifying idea, and spoke solemnly to Cola: “Cola, I’ll have to count on you again.”

“Awoo!”

Cola’s eyes sparkled, tail wagging vigorously, nose pressed to the wooden door, straining to detect other scents.

Since evolving, Cola’s sense of smell had become far superior, unaffected by most external factors.

Now, it was superior to most search and rescue dogs.

Chen Yuan said, “If you can’t catch Old Xing’s scent, try tracking that of your fellow canine.”

After a pause, Chen Yuan added, “If I remember correctly, it’s a pretty female dog.”

In that instant, Cola straightened its back, eyes shining even brighter, its expression more focused, as if it were a seasoned professional search and rescue dog.

I don’t care about pretty female dogs, I just want to help my master solve problems.

Not solely relying on Cola, Chen Yuan turned to Spark: “Spark, fly higher, do a circle around the area and see if you find anything.”

“Cheep…”

Spark didn’t respond immediately, instead glancing at Chen Yuan and then at Cola, who was immersed in sniffing, displaying hesitation.

Chen Yuan waved with a smile: “Don’t worry about my safety, Cola will protect me.”

Upon hearing this, Spark grew even more worried about Chen Yuan’s safety.

Chen Yuan coughed lightly, “Then don’t fly too far. If there’s an emergency, I’ll call you back immediately.”

“Cheep~”

Spark finally nodded, spreading its wings and soaring high like a bright flame, weaving back and forth across the sky.

With supreme vision, it was among the best of all animals.

Spark’s night vision was just as impressive, spotting prey kilometers away even in the pitch-black night.

Seeing both companions focus on their tasks, Chen Yuan fetched the satellite phone Song Guohao had specifically reminded him to carry from his backpack. After tinkering with it, his expression grew increasingly grave.

It was normal for regular phones to lack signals, but why couldn’t the satellite phone make calls?

Satellite phones are designed to establish communication in areas without radio or telecommunication signals, functioning even in harsh weather and remote places.

Yet, right now, the satellite phone had failed.

He had intended to inform Song Guohao of the situation here, but now with the satellite phone malfunctioning, he had utterly lost means of communication with the outside world.

Chen Yuan returned the satellite phone to his backpack, still calm and composed: “There are simply two possibilities now.”

“First, Old Xing encountered something outside and is temporarily trapped.”

“Second, Old Xing has met with misfortune.”

Chen Yuan silently prayed for the first possibility.

“Cheep——!”

A long cry pierced the tranquil night sky. Chen Yuan glanced up to see an orange-yellow figure rushing towards him.

“Did you find anything?” Chen Yuan asked.

“Cheep.” Spark nodded lightly, then turned and motioned for Chen Yuan to follow quickly.

“Alright, Cola, keep up.” Chen Yuan dropped his backpack by the door, lightening his load as much as possible, rushing to catch up.

“Awoo~”

Cola hung its head, glancing wistfully at the boss soaring in the air, eyes downcast.

Once again, I disappointed my master, awoo.

“Why are you dawdling? Hurry up, I’m relying on you to track the scent.”

At his master’s call, Cola’s expression immediately turned excited, barking in response as it chased after him.

With Flame Stream swirling all over, the glowing Spark guided from above as Chen Yuan jogged along, with Cola acting as a close bodyguard.

Ordinarily eerie at night, the wild, with its mysterious rustling sounds and chilling beastly howls, grew unusually quiet when Spark danced uninhibited in the air, its fiery glow brightening the night.

“Spark, what did you notice just now?” Chen Yuan inquired, glancing upwards.

“Cheep, cheep, cheep.”

Spark revealed that it had seen the man and dog Chen Yuan described on another mountain, with several figures pursuing them.

Chen Yuan’s brow furrowed slightly, “What’s chasing them?”

The good news was that Old Xing seemed to still be alive.

The bad news was, something was amiss.

“Cheep.”

Spark shook its head, indicating it didn’t dare waste time, returning immediately to inform him after spotting the targets, without noticing anything else.

“You’re right.” Chen Yuan nodded.

Now, finding Old Xing’s location was the top priority; everything else was secondary.

Roughly ten minutes later, a previously silent forest suddenly emitted faint howls, short and piercing, eerie and chilling.

Chen Yuan’s expression shifted slightly, having grown up in the mountains, he wasn’t unfamiliar with such calls—these were wolves.

Wolves roamed Qinling, their open habitat, humid climate, and ample water sources creating suitable living conditions for them.

Evidently, the creatures chasing Old Xing were wolves.

Wolves are nocturnal, typically resting in their dens during the day and hunting at night.

Chen Yuan had heard his grandfather say that the wolves of Qinling aren’t just vicious and bloodthirsty; they are also deceitful and treacherous, unlike ordinary wolves.

And with the Spiritual Energy Revival, these wolves grew even more dangerous, becoming a deadly threat to all creatures in Qinling.

Thus, Chen Yuan dared not delay, fearing to only find Old Xing lying in a pool of blood upon arrival.

“Hurry.”

“Faster.”

Fortunately, since becoming a Beastmaster, Chen Yuan’s physical strength had vastly improved, his recent exercise regimen further boosting his stamina.

So even after spending a day traversing the mountains, he still had the vigor to run swiftly.

In the darkness, three figures raced forward.