Super Zoo

Mr. Song pointed to a big pile of documents in front of him and said, "I won't even mention the lifesaving incident. The revenue from ticket sales at the zoo has stabilized with an increase of about 20% because of your boat business—that's a great achievement! Second, the honor you brought to the zoo led to recognition from our superior units and even got us funding! Third, Mr. Peng and Mr. Zhou are long-time employees of the zoo with tough family situations. Li might be young, but he's also a key person, and his family's rural background isn't great. You hired them, which increased their income and indirectly contributed to the zoo. Fourth, leasing Shuijun Lake generated a one-time income of over seven hundred thousand for the zoo. Fifth, your own work has been excellent; the pregnant she-wolf in Wolf Pen now only recognizes you..."

"Director, Director, let me interrupt a moment!" Suming quickly cut off Mr. Song, who was listing off his accomplishments. What does he mean the pregnant she-wolf only recognizes me? It's not like I got her pregnant!

"Go ahead."

"My dad taught me a saying, 'Don't just look at the path ahead but also the road behind. The more successful you are, the more you mustn't lose your bearings,'" Suming said.

It was somewhat cryptic talk, but people of Mr. Song's age could understand the subtext in Suming's words.

However, he hadn't expected someone of Suming's age to say such things, so he was a bit surprised. After staring at Suming for a few seconds, he said, "Are you afraid of others getting jealous and causing trouble behind your back?"

"That's not it. Our colleagues in the park are all pretty easy to get along with. But I think it's best not to challenge human nature. I've made money now, received honors, and my business is doing alright. Why hoard all the good things? For a hollow reputation, a few hundred bucks, always blocking the ways of other colleagues. Nothing might come of it in the short term, but over time, inevitably, it might lead to dissatisfaction among others," Suming said.

"Did you come up with these thoughts all on your own?" Mr. Song looked at Suming with an even stranger expression.

Suming's insights possessed a certain wisdom of the workplace. It would seem reasonable coming from a workplace veteran who had been around for decades, but coming from a twenty-something like Suming, who had just graduated from school, Mr. Song found it quite unexpected.

Even Mr. Song himself hadn't thought so deeply before; he merely felt that Suming truly deserved the honor.

Suming chuckled, "There's knowledge to be found in everything, isn't there? Just like that old saying goes, no matter what you do, you need to think it through."

Suming was well aware that, despite his 'friends of the animals' abilities, he still lived in the secular world. To have a comfortable life, he must manage his relationships with those around him and the secular world well.

A coward doesn't become a true warrior just by gaining a golden finger; at best, they become a bully. A loser who can't even be a common person won't achieve true ultimate success simply because they're a 'friend of animals'.

Maybe one day, when the 'friend of animals' powers grow strong enough, Suming could ignore all mundane concerns, but that time wasn't now.

Besides, the mundane world, with all its splendor, held countless wonders!

"Your considerations aren't without merit. Let's leave the 'Employee of the Month' for the second half of the year vacant for now."

Mr. Song nodded, "But I want to tell you something. A couple days ago, our district was asking for nominations for model workers, and our zoo nominated you!"

"Model worker of the district?"

"Of course, it's not decided yet. There are so many units in the district, and in the end, only ten spots for model workers. It might not necessarily be you," Mr. Song said.

Suming pondered for a moment. Being nominated as an honorary labor model was rather inconsequential, a distinction separate from the zoo's own glory, and it did not conflict with the honors of other staff members. Even if there were a conflict, it would be with Mr. Song, who obviously wouldn't mind.

...

It was the middle of the night again.

Spending every night by the lakeside, Suming felt like he was about to develop night vision. Everything around was pitch-black, yet he could see quite clearly, not missing any rustling of the grass within a dozen meters.

"De Fu, will I become like you, with eyes that glow at night?" Suming asked the wolfhound brother lying beside him.

Wang Cai and De Fu sat squatting on the grass, lifting their heads with an innocent and bewildered look, their four little eyes shining brightly.

The wind blew, and a large patch of dark clouds drifted from afar, obscuring what was already a dim moonlight.

Tonight was without light!

"What a perfect night for thieving!" Suming stretched languidly, dispersing his spiritual power into the lake.

At the bottom of the artificial lake, the mud roiled violently, and crabs and lobsters, eels and loaches emerged from dark corners, either twisting their bodies or waving their large pincers, gathering into dozens of small squads.

Among them, some that had been in contact with spiritual power several times, being slightly superior in strength and intelligence to their peers, naturally became squad leaders. Suming channeled all his spiritual power into these squad leaders, who then commanded their own teams.

Rows of shrimp soldiers and crab generals, like an army, entered the passageway in succession, burrowing into the tunnel leading to Huating Reservoir on the opposite side.

Soon, these uninvited guests passed through the tunnel, emerging one after another from the exit on the Huating Reservoir side, lining up and stopping beneath the exit in the water, quietly waiting for something, like a series of solemn military formations!

The alligator turtles were too big to squeeze through the tunnel; leading the rear this day was a bighead catfish. It emerged from the exit, wriggled a few times, then swam to the very front of the formation.

"Let's get to work!" Suming snapped his fingers, issuing the order to the bighead.

The bighead flicked its tail, swimming forward, and the entire team moved as well, following the bighead's lead, towards the distant fish nursery nets.

Half an hour later, the gigantic fishing net surrounding the fish nursery had been torn open at the bottom by five large holes, big enough for a person to pass through. Pairs of shrimp soldiers and crab generals charged through these holes into the net!

Suming's fish and shrimp, following the 'rehearsals' of the past few days, lined up in columns, like a giant whirlpool, simultaneously enclosing an area of water about an acre in size, then continuously shrinking the space, herding the enclosed nursery fish towards the center.

The arrival of these unwelcome guests immediately caused intense panic among the nursery fish; the entire body of water boiled over, and consequently, the surface rippled, occasionally bursting with sprays of water.

Baldy and a few others were playing cards inside the shack when they heard noises outside. Grabbing flashlights and clubs, they rushed out.