He never imagined Chen Hao had actually taken those words to heart. Without a word to anyone, he had teamed up with Huang Zhongmu, leveraged his group’s connections, and roped in Yang Pan to somehow procure a living, legally sourced Beaked Eagle for him from faraway South America!

Yang Qi could imagine the difficulty involved.

It involved international conventions, approvals from two countries, proof of the species’ legal origin, long-distance live animal transport, and strict quarantine and inspection... This was definitely not something that could be accomplished easily with money alone.

This required the Zoo to provide its professional credentials and receiving facilities, the Hongyun Group’s overseas reach to pull the necessary strings, and the Xianzi Group’s financial power to support all the expenses.

The three parties worked together for over a month to finally deliver this "King of the Sky" to him.

This thoughtfulness, this grand gesture, filled Yang Qi’s heart with a wave of warmth.

"Brother Chen, Director... I..."

Yang Qi looked at Chen Hao’s hearty smile, then at the gratified expressions of Huang Zhongmu and the others, and finally condensed all his overwhelming emotions into two sincere words.

"Thank you!"

"Thanks for what? Brothers don’t say that stuff to each other."

Chen Hao chided with a laugh and patted Yang Qi’s shoulder. "Alright, the gift’s delivered, my job is done. From here on, how you house and wait on this ’lordship’ is up to you guys at the zoo. I’ve got other things to do, so I’m heading out."

With that, he said his goodbyes to Huang Zhongmu and the others, then coolly turned and left, leaving Yang Qi and the rest of the zoo’s leadership to face their new "honored guest."

After everyone watched for a moment, Jiang Kai directed the keepers and support staff waiting nearby. They carefully unloaded the large cage containing the Beaked Eagle from the truck and, using a specialized cart, transported it to a newly renovated enclosure at the foot of the mountain behind the Zoo. 𝚏𝗿𝗲𝐞𝐰𝚎𝕓𝐧𝚘𝘃𝗲𝐥.𝐜𝚘𝕞

The trees there were taller, and it had a stream and a pool. The space was also more open, making it well-suited to the Beaked Eagle’s natural habits.

Yang Qi followed them the entire way.

Once at the new enclosure, the staff placed the large cage in the center of the spacious indoor area.

Yang Qi motioned for everyone else to retreat behind the observation window. He then took a deep breath, slowly walked forward, and opened the door of the cage with his own hands.

"WHOOSH—"

The instant the cage door opened, an agile, grayish-brown figure with white markings shot out like a flash of lightning.

The adolescent Beaked Eagle didn’t fly far. Instead, it circled powerfully a few times in the seven-to-eight-meter-high indoor enclosure, its strong wings kicking up gusts of wind with every flap.

It seemed to be acclimating to its new environment while also testing the boundaries.

It soon discovered the protective netting on the walls and ceiling and let out a short, sharp cry, as if in protest.

After a few more circles, it landed on a thick, horizontal branch of a large tree that had been deliberately kept inside the enclosure. It stood there firmly, looking down on everything below.

Yang Qi didn’t rush, nor did he make any threatening moves.

A moment later, with calming powder paving the way and the aura of his Ten Thousand Beasts Affinity in tow, he slowly approached the Beaked Eagle.

The Beaked Eagle keenly sensed something. It rotated its head, its round, amber eyes—which looked as if they came with their own built-in sticker pack, simultaneously serious and a little goofy—fixing intently on the approaching Yang Qi.

Its crest feathers rose slightly, a sign of alertness, but it didn’t immediately fly off or adopt an aggressive stance.

Yang Qi’s affinity and the calming powder were taking effect, lowering the eagle’s hostility and fear.

He walked right up to the base of the tree until he was only three or four meters from the perched Beaked Eagle. Only then did he stop, tilt his head up slightly, and calmly meet the raptor’s gaze.

The Beaked Eagle tilted its head down, carefully sizing up this peculiar "Two-legged Beast."

A low sound, something like a rumble, emanated from its throat.

’You look delicious.’

Yang Qi was speechless.