Forest Ranger: Starting with a Giant Panda Mom Clinging to Me - Chapter 33

Chapter 33: The Rabbit-Hunting Skills of the Chinese Alligator

After eating breakfast, Lin Tian, as usual, prepared his backpack and set out to patrol the mountains.

As expected, the moment Panda Mom saw Lin Tian heading out, she immediately picked up her two cubs in her mouth and followed him, waddling along happily.

Lin Tian held his forehead in exasperation.

Panda Mom seemed to love following him on his mountain patrols, likely because she could munch on various delicious wild fruits and bamboo along the way. But it wasn’t a bad thing that she came along.

This way, he could keep an eye on the two panda cubs and feel more at ease. However, what Lin Tian didn’t expect was that the Chinese Alligator, which had been lounging in the water pool, saw him leaving and, with its stubby legs, also waddled out after him.

“Hey, what’s with you following me too?” Lin Tian pointed at the alligator’s head.

The Chinese Alligator tilted its head, then opened its mouth and wagged its tail rapidly, as if thinking it was being praised.

Lin Tian: …

Fine.

This Chinese Alligator not only acted like a goofy husky but also seemed to have the brains to match.

Whatever, if it wanted to follow, let it follow. At least this way, he wouldn’t have to worry about it secretly wrecking the house while he was gone.

And so, one human, one panda, and one alligator trekked along the mountain path, one after the other.

The viewers watching this peculiar patrol team found it amusing.

> “Hahaha, congrats to Brother Tian for expanding his mountain patrol squad!”

> “Too bad Little Goldie (the golden snub-nosed monkey) isn’t here, or this team could pass for the Journey to the West crew.”

> “Hahaha, then Brother Tian would be Monk Tang, and the team is all animals—perfect match!”

> “Pfft, now that you mention it, it really does feel like that!”

…

“Ahem, who could understand the struggles of a forest ranger like me?” While walking, Lin Tian took a moment to glance at the live stream comments and grumbled a bit.

Thankfully, Panda Mom and the Chinese Alligator were relatively well-behaved and didn’t cause any trouble during his patrol work.

Panda Mom, as always, scampered around looking for wild fruits to eat.

The alligator, on the other hand, rarely moved much, just trailing behind Lin Tian and occasionally flicking its tail.

They continued onward.

Today, Lin Tian was heading to a low-lying area deep in the mountains, a place where deer herds lived and where many ancient trees grew. The smallest of these trees were at least fifty or sixty years old, making them prime targets for poachers.

Although this area was equipped with surveillance cameras, the cameras couldn’t cover the entire region, and the wireless ones needed frequent battery replacements or recharging.

Manual inspections were still necessary. However, it wasn’t required daily—usually once every three days. This location was quite far from the ranger’s residence, requiring a two-to-three-hour walk. So, for this trip, Lin Tian brought plenty of water and food.

As for Panda Mom and the Chinese Alligator, they didn’t need to worry—they could find food along the way.

After a morning of trekking, Lin Tian finally arrived at the redwood area. The trees here were tall, and the environment was dark and eerie. Lin Tian carefully inspected the area and found no signs of illegal logging, which allowed him to breathe a slight sigh of relief.

He sat down to rest. Though he wasn’t tired after the morning’s walk, Panda Mom and the Chinese Alligator trailing behind him were exhausted.

Especially the alligator, which was used to lurking and swimming in water. Walking such a long distance on land had worn it out completely.

At that moment, it was sprawled out under the sunlight, tongue hanging out, panting heavily.

Lin Tian took out water and flatbread from his backpack to eat, while Panda Mom held her two cubs in her mouth, feeding them.

At that moment, a wild rabbit suddenly darted out in front of them!

When it saw the Chinese Alligator and Panda Mom, the poor little rabbit was startled out of its wits. With a kick of its legs, it leaped to escape.

The Chinese Alligator, spotting food entering its line of sight, suddenly whipped its head around to snap at it. This bite wasn’t a big deal—crunch!—it chomped down on the shovel Lin Tian had placed nearby.

Crunch!

A teeth-gritting sound rang out.

This shovel was a high-strength alloy one that Lin Tian had specially purchased, exceptional in quality. With this bite, not only did it miss the rabbit, but it also injured the alligator’s teeth.

> “Hahaha, how is Croc Bro so clueless? The rabbit was so far away!”

> “Croc Bro’s eyesight isn’t great, huh?”

> “With that bite, it probably knocked out a few teeth.”

…

Lin Tian noticed the scene and was speechless at the alligator’s poor aim. He felt both sorry for his shovel and worried that the alligator might have hurt its mouth.

Fortunately, after checking, he found that the alligator’s teeth were fine—just its jaw was numbed from the impact.

“Tch, you craving rabbit now?” Lin Tian patted the alligator’s head and realized it was indeed hungry. After walking all morning, it hadn’t eaten a single thing.

Panda Mom, at least, had nibbled on wild fruits and bamboo along the way. But the alligator hadn’t caught any prey.

Alligators are built for short bursts of power, not long chases. They’re more suited to patiently lying in wait, like a hunter waiting for the rabbit to come to them.

Lin Tian glanced at the fleeing rabbit and licked his lips, feeling a bit hungry himself. It had been a while since he’d tasted roasted wild rabbit. Noticing several rabbit burrows nearby—almost to the point of being overrun—he made up his mind.

At noon, he’d catch a couple of rabbits to fill the alligator’s belly.

To catch rabbits, though, he’d need tools. Unfortunately, he didn’t have anything suitable on hand. Digging a simple trap wasn’t too difficult, but the chances of catching a rabbit that way were slim.

Lin Tian thought for a moment, then suddenly looked at the Chinese Alligator.

An idea struck him. He called the alligator over.