Chapter 86: Chapter 86: Mama Has Lost Her Memory

Xu Ying could only let the newly captured same species communicate with these frightened furry ones, conveying signals that she meant no harm, and gradually building trust with them.

This batch of furry creatures was about three hundred in number, and there were hardly any that were healthy and lively; all were huddled in cages with vacant stares.

This was a clear case of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), showing persistent fear, anxiety, flashbacks of nightmares, and hypervigilance… Professional intervention from animal behaviorists or veterinarians would be needed to help them gradually regain a sense of security and normal behavior patterns.

There were simply too many small animals needing rescue here. Xu Ying let out a long sigh, feeling too distressed to look at them, her heart aching.

Chen Su walked over, stuffing a big bag of things in Xu Ying’s hands, patting her on the shoulder: “Eat something and rest, you’ve done an excellent job today.”

Xu Ying looked at the bag filled with a pile of popular snacks from the market, raised her eyebrows in surprise; it wasn’t easy to get these in the Desert Rescue Zone.

“Thank you, Captain Chen!”

Holding the bag of snacks, Xu Ying searched for the cage where the ear foxes were kept: “I’ll see if I can find the mothers of the ear fox cubs here. If I can find them, it’ll be like a big burden lifted from my heart.”

“God bless, the fox cubs’ mothers must be here.”

Chen Su helped find the cage where the ear foxes were kept, curiously asking: “You haven’t seen the mother of the little foxes. How do you plan to find her?”

Small animals all look quite similar, squeezing so many together makes it even harder to tell them apart, not to mention Xu Ying hasn’t seen the fox cubs’ mother.

Moreover, foxes don’t recognize their peers by appearance, but by scent, and one can’t smell the scent through a screen.

Xu Ying rubbed her chin, “The fox cubs said their mother taught them they could always trust the Five-Star Red Flag.”

Xu Ying took out her badge, showing a small Five-Star Red Flag emblem on it; she turned to ask Chen Su, “Do you have any items with the Five-Star Red Flag emblem?”

Chen Su thought for a moment, immediately got up: “I have a small flag in the car, given out during National Day.”

There were seven cages in total where the ear foxes were kept. Xu Ying waved the flag in front of each cage.

Chen Su stayed nearby with the snacks but didn’t get too close, perhaps because of his chilly demeanor; the small animals were a bit afraid of him.

Xu Ying waved the Five-Star Red Flag in her hand, speaking softly to the ear foxes: “Don’t be afraid, babies, I am an animal rescuer sent by the country, here to return you to the desert.”

“This is my badge, I am Xu Ying, the station chief of Desert Rescue Station 032.”

“Is there anyone among you who was caught here just over a month after giving birth to five little foxes?”

The ear foxes’ gaze was attracted by the bright red flag, but they still huddled together, not daring to approach Xu Ying.

Earlier, Xu Ying had asked Ling Yu to record a video of the five ear fox cubs in the rescue station calling for their mother.

At that moment, Ling Yu sent the video over.

Xu Ying immediately turned up the volume and played the video.

[Mom, mom, are you there? After you disappeared, Little Xu Station Chief saved us.]

[You taught us that we could always trust the Five-Star Red Flag, and it’s true! With Little Xu Station Chief, we drink goat milk every day and have very soft beds to sleep in~]

[Mom, come back soon. Baby misses you~]

The sweet fox voices brought some change to the blank stares of many ear foxes.

Then, Xu Ying played the popular online videos of herself caring for little ear foxes and rescuing other small animals.

Small animals have an inherent sense of perception; they noticed Xu Ying’s patience and gentleness towards animals in the videos, and their gaze towards Xu Ying changed.

Finally, an ear fox couldn’t help but speak: [You… were sent by the country to rescue us?]

“Yes, you can see the photo on the badge, it’s me~”

“Those bad people have been caught and put into the police car. Our country’s law will make them pay.”

Xu Ying then played the recently recorded video of the criminals being taken into the car, using a tablet in front of the foxes.

When the foxes saw the employees of the fur farm, their bodies shook with fear. Seeing their hands cuffed in silver handcuffs, no longer fierce and arrogant, crying bitterly begging for forgiveness, the foxes’ eyes wavered.

Among the seven cages, an ear fox that was still somewhat conscious said: [We have a companion here who told us we could always trust the Five-Star Red Flag. The country baba has been cracking down on these poachers. We will be rescued someday.]

[But as the days passed, it stopped talking. After being locked up for too long, it can only make a few syllables now, can’t speak, and its memory has regressed, not knowing where it is anymore.]

[We also lost hope of getting rescued and walking out of the fur farm alive.]

The ear foxes in this cage began moving towards the cage entrance, making way for an ear fox lying on the ground behind them.

The ear fox lay on the ground with several old scars on its body. It was also unusually obese, its belly bulging, with adorably big ears drooped, looking very cumbersome, as if it didn’t even have the strength to support those big ears, appearing weak and in pain.

It was nudged by a companion’s paw, barely opening a slit in its eyes; it saw that splash of bright red in Xu Ying’s hand, and a hint of light appeared in its weary eyes.

[Red, Red Flag…]

[Came…]

It tried to stand up, but its limbs were enveloped in thick fat, with its front legs barely supporting its body while its hind legs trembled due to its obesity.

It struggled to move its body, trying to approach the Five-Star Red Flag, but after a few steps, it lost its balance and fell heavily to the ground.

The ear fox’s breath came in rapid gasps, as if even such simple exertion had drained all its strength.

Seeing this scene, Xu Ying felt as though her heart was pierced.

Her tears fell in a patter on the ground, and with red eyes, she said to the furry ones: “I’m sorry, I came too late.”

Xu Ying’s sobs echoed in the quiet adobe house, drawing the attention not only of the ear foxes but also the other furries.

They could sense the sadness emanating from this human.

The little foxes, hearing Xu Ying’s heartache, also had teary eyes. They glanced outside the cage as if making a decision.

They moved their round bodies slowly, hesitantly stepped out of the cage that had imprisoned them for three months, and sluggishly made their way to Xu Ying’s side, nudging her ankle.

[Station Chief, don’t cry. You came in time, we’re all still alive!]

The ear foxes, struggling to speak due to their obesity, were now anxious, desperately trying to vocalize syllables from their pointy mouths but unable to express what they wanted to say.

[Don’t cry, cry… I, I’m anxious, but, but I can’t speak…]

[It’s killing me… Station chief good… Poach, poacher bad!]

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep