Chapter 319: Chapter 318: Undying Devotion

In the morning light, Xu Ying’s hands were covered in fresh blood, yet she remained as steady as a rock while bandaging the Bai He’s wounds.

"Flying drones in the desert reserve without approval is strictly prohibited." Xu Ying’s voice was low and restrained, yet it couldn’t hide the anger within.

When her fingertips touched the broken bone of the Bai He, her eyelashes quivered slightly, as if the pain had reached her own body.

"Especially when using drones to observe birds up close," Xu Ying gritted her teeth, the gauze swiftly turning red in her hands, "it’s practically murder!"

Sunlight shone on her tense side profile, highlighting the undried tear stains at the corner of her eyes. 𝑓𝘳𝘦𝑒𝑤𝑒𝘣𝘯ℴ𝘷𝘦𝓁.𝑐𝑜𝑚

The Bai He’s severed limb was a bloody mess, with the stark white bone glaringly exposed to the air.

Xu Ying’s voice began to tremble: "Even more hateful is... that perpetrator... how could he..."

Her words caught in her throat, and she took a deep breath, "After severing the Bai He’s legs with the drone, not only did he fail to contact the rescue station immediately, he fled the scene!"

Qi Xiao handed her tools from the medical box, "We must catch this selfish and cruel perpetrator and make him face the deserved punishment."

[It hurts so much...] the Bai He weakly touched Xu Ying’s wrist with its beak, the cold touch causing her heart to tremble.

Despite its severe injuries, its broken body was still stubbornly wriggling towards the direction of the reeds.

[I still need to go home, to bring food to my wife and children...]

[They are still hungry...]

Although gravely injured, the Bai He’s long beak was still trying to pick up the small fish and shrimp that had slipped from its mouth.

Following the Bai He’s gaze, Xu Ying looked towards the distant reeds, where faint chirping of chicks could be heard.

Her gaze fell on the shocking trail of blood on the ground — from the lakeshore to here on the sandy ground, a more than ten-meter-long blood trail had been dragged out.

At that moment, she understood everything: After suffering such a devastating blow, this Bai He was still thinking about delivering food to its family, and had painfully crawled such a long distance using only half its body.

Qi Xiao silently walked towards the helicopter, retrieved a delicate little shovel, and squatted down.

He gently scooped up the small fish and shrimp scattered beside the Bai He’s beak, his movements gentle.

As he walked towards the reeds, he deliberately lightened his footsteps, fearing he might startle the Bai He’s family hidden there.

Qi Xiao quietly placed the small fish and shrimp near the Bai He’s nest, then carefully left.

"Don’t worry," Xu Ying softly comforted, her fingers gently smoothing the Bai He’s ruffled feathers, "We will take care of your family."

Her voice was gentle, yet carried an undeniable determination.

[Can you understand what I’m saying?]

The Bai He’s weak voice was filled with incredulous surprise, it lifted its head, its obsidian-like eyes flickering with a faint light.

"Yes," Xu Ying nodded, sunlight dancing in her hair, "I am a Beast Language Master and also the head of the Desert Animal Rescue Station."

She pointed to the helicopter not far away, the "Fluffy Rescue Team’s" paw print emblem shining on the fuselage, "Rest assured, I will definitely find the culprit who hurt you."

The Bai He gratefully nodded, a crystal-clear tear sliding down from the corner of its eye: [Thank you...]

Its voice was so weak it was almost inaudible.

"Would you like to come back to the hospital with us for treatment?" Xu Ying asked softly, her fingers unconsciously tightening around the medical pack, "We will do our best to help you recover."

Her gaze swept over the Bai He’s wounds, already planning the treatment in her mind.

[Can it really be healed?] A trace of hope appeared in the Bai He’s eyes, but quickly dimmed.

It tried to move its broken legs, trembling all over from the pain.

"We must get you to a hospital immediately," Xu Ying said firmly, her voice carrying an unyielding resolution, "Based on preliminary assessment, we can fit you with carbon fiber prosthetics."

[But...] Suddenly the Bai He struggled, looking anxiously towards the reeds, [What about my family?]

It strained its neck, trying to see what was happening deep within the reeds, [It will be difficult for my wife to care for the three children alone.]

Following its gaze, Xu Ying saw a glimpse of a female crane’s silhouette in the reeds, vigilantly guarding the nest.

Xu Ying’s heart was suddenly gripped by an invisible hand.

She recalled the Bai He’s lifelong fidelity; even near death, the male crane was most concerned about the well-being of its family.

"Don’t worry," she gently promised, her voice tinged with a slight choke, "We will bring your entire family to the hospital to be cared for."

[Thank you so much!]

A crystalline tear seeped from the corner of the Bai He’s eye, and it finally relaxed, resting its head gently on Xu Ying’s arm.

The sound of helicopter rotors echoed through the desert, as Xu Ying kneeled by the cabin door, carefully placing the Bai He on a specially designed animal stretcher. Its feathers were drenched with blood, the severed limb wrapped in a temporary hemostatic bandage, its rise and fall faintly with its breaths.

Qi Xiao knelt on one knee beside it, his arm muscles taut, steadily holding the edge of the stretcher to prevent it from jolting when the helicopter took off.

"Take it slow..." Xu Ying said softly, her fingers gently brushing the side of the Bai He’s neck, feeling its cold body temperature and weak pulse.

Qi Xiao adjusted the stretcher’s securing straps to ensure it wouldn’t slide, then quickly got up and strode towards the cockpit.

He put on headphones, pressed the communication button, his voice low and clear: "Control, Fox-One requesting emergency flight clearance, mission code Alpha-9, for patient transport."

A calm response came through the radio: "Fox-One, airspace is clear, altitude limited to 300 meters, wind speed suitable, permission granted for takeoff."

"Roger." Qi Xiao responded briefly, then pushed the control stick and the helicopter gradually ascended.

Xu Ying quickly dialed Director Yi’s communicator, background sounds of the rotor blades whirring could be heard.

"Director Yi, we are on our way back with a severely injured adult Bai He, its legs were severed by a drone, massive blood loss, requires immediate surgery!"

Her speech was quick, but each word was clear and powerful.

Director Yi’s steady voice came through the communicator: "I understand the situation, I will immediately prepare."

After a moment, a reply came from Director Yi’s end:

"Three veterinarians and the operating room are ready, and the 3D printed carbon fiber support has also been prepared."

Xu Ying felt somewhat relieved.

Director Yi’s voice remained calm, "And what about its family?"

The Bai He is one of the longest-migrating bird species, usually migrating as a family unit, covering a long and arduous journey, typically over 5,000 kilometers.

Xu Ying replied, "The female crane and three chicks are still in the reeds, Qi Xiao has marked the location, a vehicle will be sent to fetch them."

——"Alright, return as soon as possible, and stay safe on the way."

The communication ended, Xu Ying looked down at the Bai He, its eyes half-closed, beak slightly opening and closing, as if trying to endure the pain.

She gently stroked its feathers, whispering, "Hang in there, we’ll be at the hospital soon."

The helicopter swept across the desert, speeding towards the Fluffy Animal Hospital.