Forest Ranger: Starting with a Giant Panda Mom Clinging to Me - Chapter 16

Chapter 16: A Task Assigned to You

“Comrade Xiao Lin, step aside quickly! This is no joke, Director Chen is in danger!” Director Xu’s hand, gripping the gun, sweated profusely. One wrong move, and Director Chen could lose her life.

The two companions nearby were also stunned.

Lin Tian knew the situation required ensuring human safety first. But he didn’t want the Panda mom to get hurt. He was confident he could calm the panda down.

“Director Xu, let me try. I can calm Panda mom down,” he said. “Don’t shoot yet.” Lin Tian spoke slowly.

Director Xu was puzzled. In such a situation, how could he still think of persuading the panda? This was a wild panda; how could it listen to Lin Tian?

Seeing Lin Tian’s determined gaze, Director Xu sighed. He didn’t really have a better option. If Lin Tian truly had a way to calm Panda mom, that would be ideal.

Although he carried a tranquilizer gun, the tranquilizer’s effect wasn’t immediate.

If, by chance, the panda became enraged from being injured, Director Chen would be in even greater danger.

“Alright… I’ll agree,” Xu said. “But if it doesn’t work, I’ll still shoot.”

Though Director Xu agreed, he didn’t lower the gun, his eyes still warily fixed on the Panda mom.

“Thank you, Director Xu. I’ll be careful,” Lin Tian said.

Once Director Xu agreed, Lin Tian turned, cautiously looking at Panda mom.

“Panda mom, don’t be angry. They’re not bad people; they’re here to take care of you,” he said. “Let her go first.”

Lin Tian approached the Panda mom carefully, his movements gentle to avoid provoking her. The panda was pinning the zoo director, its large mouth biting her clothes, rendering her immobile.

As Lin Tian approached, everyone flinched, holding their breath. The panda, now provoked, was in a frenzy and could attack at any moment.

> “Brother Tian, be careful! Don’t get hurt by the panda!”

> “So dangerous!”

> “Brother Tian, don’t go over there!”

…

Director Xu gripped the gun, ready to pull the trigger at any moment. Under everyone’s watchful eyes, Lin Tian inched closer to the Panda mom.

Then, to everyone’s shock, he placed his hand on the panda’s paw.

“Good girl, let her go. I’m here, and I won’t let anyone harm your babies,” he said.

Lin Tian slowly pried open the panda’s paw, while his other hand stroked the panda’s chubby head, soothing her.

Everyone watching this scene felt their hearts in their throats, fearing the panda, in its agitated state, might lash out at Lin Tian’s head.

Fortunately, as Lin Tian released the panda’s paw, the panda didn’t attack him.

The zoo director, finally escaping the panda’s grasp, scrambled away, hiding behind Director Xu. She looked at the Panda mom with Linering fear.

Once Panda mom saw Lin Tian, she released her grip, her paws cLining to him instead. This scene startled Director Xu. He raised the tranquilizer gun, ready to fire at any moment.

Lin Tian quickly spoke to stop him.

“Don’t worry, Panda mom doesn’t mean any harm,” he said.

Sure enough, the panda clung to Lin Tian with her paws, her head resting against him, not attacking as imagined. Instead, her massive head nuzzled into Lin Tian’s chest, whimpering softly.

She seemed almost … like she was acting coy? Yes, coy! Wasn’t this a wild panda? How was she so well-behaved with Lin Tian?

Her docile demeanor was nothing like the ferocious beast that had just torn at the zoo director! Director Xu watched in amazement.

The surrounding staff felt the same.

> “Wow, Brother Tian is awesome!”

> “Brother Tian, be honest, what did you do to Panda mom last night to make her so cLiny?”

> “Pfft, cLiny? If Panda mom swats him, Brother Tian’s back might break!”

> “So jealous, I want a panda to act coy with me too!”

…

Lin Tian patted the panda’s head, gently reassuring her, “There, there, it’s okay. They’re not bad people. If you don’t want anyone to take your babies, no one will.”

Lin Tian comforted the panda for a while, then bent down to pick up the two cubs from the blanket.

Seeing this, Director Xu tensed again. He instinctively tightened his grip on the tranquilizer gun. The zoo director had just provoked Panda mom by trying to pick up the cubs. He worried the Panda mom might get agitated again. However, even as Lin Tian held the two cubs in his hands, the imagined outburst didn’t happen.

The panda followed behind Lin Tian, tugging at his clothes. She showed no anger at his actions, and even licked the back of Lin Tian’s hand, looking as if Lin Tian were her caretaker.

She trusted him completely.

“There you go, your babies are fine,” Lin Tian said. Lin Tian placed the two cubs in Panda mom’s arms. The Panda mom, holding her cubs, calmed down significantly, licking her two babies with her tongue. She squatted by the bedside.

After licking for a while, she pawed at Lin Tian, gesturing for him to sit down too. With no other choice, Lin Tian squatted and played with the two cubs for a bit.

The scene was very harmonious. It was impossible to tell this was the same panda that had gone berserk moments ago.

Director Xu watched this scene, his gaze deep in thought.

After calming Panda mom, Lin Tian stood up, leading Director Xu and the staff out of the house. “Director Xu, Panda mom just gave birth, so her emotions are still sensitive. I suggest not provoking her,” Lin Tian said. “If you want to take her for care, it’s best to build familiarity first.”

Lin Tian closed the door. Panda mom, being a wild panda, was very sensitive to unfamiliar humans. Aside from him, she wouldn’t trust anyone. To take her away, a gentle approach was best.

“Hm, you make a good point,” Xu said. “I think your place here is quite suitable.” Director Xu glanced at the panda inside, making a decision in his mind. “Lin Tian, in your report, you said you encountered this panda in the forest,” Xu said. “It was in labor at the time, and you helped it deliver safely?”

Director Xu seemed to be mulLin something over.

Lin Tian nodded. “I encountered it while patrolLin the forest. I was livestreaming at the time, and it was all recorded,” he said. “If Director Xu is interested, I can find the livestream replay.”

Lin Tian pulled out his phone and showed Director Xu the replay from the previous day.

The two Forestry Bureau staff nearby also curiously leaned in to watch. The video showed the panda in labor. Seeing Lin Tian approach a wild panda, risking attack to help deliver the cubs, they watched with bated breath.

They also admired Lin Tian’s courage. No wonder he dared to calm the Panda mom earlier—he’d done it before.

Director Xu finished watching the video and noticed the two cubs were very healthy. He rubbed his chin, growing more certain of his decision.

“Lin Tian, you did an excellent job this time,” Xu said. “The panda cubs were born safely, and you deserve great credit. I see even greater potential in you. I have a task I’d like to entrust to you, if you’re wilLin.”

Director Xu smiled at Lin Tian.

Lin Tian was puzzled. “What task?” he asked.

“Take care of the panda mother and her cubs for the bureau. Any needs you have, you can request from the bureau,” Xu said.

As his words landed, everyone froze.

Let Lin Tian care for wild pandas?! Wasn’t that equivalent to allowing Lin Tian to raise wild pandas? The right to raise national treasure pandas—this was the first case in the entire country!

The zoo director, Chen, overhearing this, immediately panicked.

“No, Director Xu, that’s against the rules!” she protested. “This place doesn’t have the conditions to care for pandas. It’s better to move them to the zoo. Only professionals can prevent the cubs from dying!”

…