"Perform... what can I perform, An Sheng? Do you want to see a fox's tiny paws bloom?"
The little fox looked puzzled, gazing at Bai Tao, not quite understanding what his political science teacher was talking about.
"That's it!"
Bai Tao took out his phone, eyes full of anticipation as he looked at the little fox, opened his phone's memo, and said, "Specialized spirit beasts are very rare, and those like Master Fox who know how to read and write are even rarer."
"If Master Fox truly understands dictation, we can start 'The Manifesto' tomorrow."
Bai Tao's eyes sparkled as he looked at Master Fox, who, although not very large, possessed extraordinary wisdom and had clearly adapted to human society.
"?"
Ansheng looked at the phone screen and then at Bai Tao, who was full of nonsense, and slowly typed out a question mark.
No, teaching this little fox was already an excessive thing.
What's this about? You want me to read 'The Manifesto'? Do we red foxes really need to learn that?
Ansheng's eyes twitched slightly. He raised his hand and typed a line on Bai Tao's phone screen:
[By the way, your car is automatic, right?]
[There seems to be a tiny animal glued to your old Honda's hood. Do you want to take a look?]
The little fox expressed his reluctance towards learning by typing this text message and then handed the phone back to Bai Tao.
Bai Tao took back the phone, his face full of excitement as he carefully read the words penned by Master Fox.
"Hmm?"
Seeing the words on the phone screen, Bai Tao suddenly caught onto the joke and jumped up excitedly, saying to Su Qiyuan:
"Master! Master, hurry! It's a joke! Master Fox has a great sense of humor!"
"Before cracking a joke on me, he very politely asked if our car was automatic!"
Although Bai Tao heard from Su Qiyuan that Master Fox had already learned human writing.
In Bai Tao's understanding, a spirit beast like Master Fox, without systematic social training, even if it truly mastered the Xia Country's writing system, would roughly manage basic exchanges. Who would have thought that Master Fox actually knew how to crack jokes?
For them, as forest rangers, when dealing with spirit beasts.
The more intelligent ones are usually easier to communicate with than those who solely rely on animal instincts.
"......"
Su Qiyuan had an awkward expression, switching looks between the phone screen and Bai Tao. Then, looking at Master Fox, he said, "Do you drink iced cola?"
[With sugar and lime flavor, please.] Ansheng typed with a matter-of-fact look.
After preparations were complete, the two humans and a fox sat atop the old Honda and headed towards Snake Mountain.
After setting up the navigation route on Su Qiyuan's phone, Ansheng returned to the front passenger seat, picked up the iced cola with a straw from the armrest box, and took a long sip, revealing a face filled with enjoyment.
"Summer with chilled fizzy joy drink is simply a comfortable enjoyment... except for causing weight gain..."
It's been twenty-four hours since Ansheng last drank iced cola.
Lately, he's been busy tricking netizens into buying tea, helping Ah Qing earn money to buy himself iced cola, and hasn't had time to sneakily enjoy it on the side, with elegance.
Placing the iced cola back into the armrest box, Ansheng raised his hand and opened the bag he's been carrying. Under the gaze of Su Qiyuan and Bai Tao, he pulled out the phone made from a fruit, given to him by the golden hedgehog for communication.
Ansheng operated the phone in the call interface and dialed the golden hedgehog using a short number.
"Hello! Is it Grandma Hedgehog? It's me, Master Fox."
"... You little one, talking unpleasantly." The phone replied with a series of "squeak squeak," and Grandma Hedgehog was quite displeased with Ansheng's nickname for her.
A hedgehog is a hedgehog, and a grandma is a grandma, even a golden hedgehog.
Why add a 'grand' in front; Grandma is still in her prime.
"It's just a nickname, wasn't it 'Little Dog An Sheng' as you used to call me? It's fine." The little fox grinned coyly and said, "Don't dwell on the nickname, let's get down to business."
"Oh? The burglars of the Spirit Beast Gang have business?" The golden hedgehog teased slightly, "Don't bring Grandma into your illegal activities; Grandma's bones are too fragile to withstand your young impulsive mischief."
"What gang or whatever it is, I'll share my location later. Just have the truck follow me and be ready to respond to my command at any time."
"If things go smoothly, we might be able to track down the white snake that the foreign poaching group has been eyeing." Ansheng spoke casually, sipping his iced cola.
"Hmm?" The golden hedgehog sounded confused from the other end, seeming surprised by Ansheng's choice: "You actually... plan to apply for a job?"
"Apply for what job?" Ansheng chuckled, "Anyway, don't bother with the fox stuff, they want to know where the white snake is, right? I'll go into the forest and find my vulpine friends to help and make some acquaintances."
Due to the information gap, Ansheng didn't know that there are different departments under the Security Bureau.
He's being supervised by forest rangers, while woodcutters are the ones inviting him.
However, regardless of whether Ansheng knows, it won't matter much.
Whether forest rangers or woodcutters, if they need his help, he will lend a hand!
Let's treat this as making mutual friends for now.
In the future, I'll entrust you with clearing my bad debts.
Such as street brawls with spirit beasts or smashing something with a sledgehammer, drag racing, and detaining defeated spirit beasts, leave it to you for after-sales service.
Play is play, don't take Ansheng's actions against evil to the household.
I'm worried that Ah Qing might find out and literally chew on the fox.
"Ying ying ying—"
"Squeak squeak—"
Under the gaze of Su Qiyuan and Bai Tao, the little fox sat back comfortably with crossed legs, chatting for a while before ending the call.
"Why are you looking at me? Never seen a fox on a phone?"
Ansheng put the phone back into the bag, looking puzzled at Su Qiyuan and Bai Tao, each displaying peculiar and subtle expressions as they stared at each other.
"Master Fox..." Bai Tao looked at Ansheng with marvel, "Do you have other spirit beast friends? And are they able to use phones? Can you introduce us? We've never seen such things before?"
Bai Tao's face was pure and romantic, much like an inexperienced young girl, seeking guidance from Master Fox.
"Hold your horses! Your longing for performance metrics is almost written on your forehead. It's not like Ansheng doesn't want to introduce the golden hedgehog to you, but that old fox is clearly a sly operator, might have carried your leaders in stretchy pants before..."
Ansheng chuckled, waved his hand, and indicated for Bai Tao not to entertain unrealistic thoughts.
Su Qiyuan drove to the ecological protection area of Snake Mountain.
Ansheng climbed out of the sunroof, stood tall, and faced the forest, declaring in his unique way:
"Big spicy strips! Come out for dinner!"