There were quite a few issues with lighting and composition. But there was one thing the photographers did exceptionally well: they fully and completely captured the condition of the tiger and Zhang Beixing.

In Zheng Jituo's photos, the tiger was seen trembling in fear inside a cage made of thick steel wire, cowering in a corner. Then, in photos taken by others, the tiger was being carried on Zhang Beixing's shoulder like a pig, unconscious and comatose.

Except for Xiao Chen and Director Fan, everyone present was dumbfounded.

"How did this tiger get beaten up like this?"

"What's going on here?"

Looking at the photos, seeing the ferocious punch marks on the tiger's body, its messy, dirty fur, the coagulated blood, and the palpable fear it radiated, an elder sitting next to Director Fan was utterly bewildered. He admitted that he was confused.

This was a tiger! The king of the jungle, the king of beasts, a perfect combination of power and speed in nature. Even if this tiger looked young, its stature was already comparable to that of a fully grown one. Yet now, such a ferocious tiger being carried like a pig on someone's shoulder was one thing. The critical point was how it acted afterward—as cowardly as a frightened house cat, cowering inside the cage!

HISS...

The sound of sharply indrawn breaths filled the office, a collective gasp humorously said to contribute to global warming.

Everyone was deeply shocked. Seeing their reaction, Director Fan wasn't surprised; he had reacted the same way when he first saw the photo.

Director Fan sighed with emotion. It's hard to believe the youth nowadays are so fiercely capable, he thought. A single person subduing a top predator like a tiger... If these photos weren't right here, no one would believe such a story!

"Do you believe this now?" Director Fan asked, looking at everyone.

"We believe it, we believe it!" everyone nodded repeatedly.

They had no choice but to believe it. The evidence was right in front of them; what more could they say?

"Just one thing I don't understand," the elder sitting next to Director Fan began, his expression showing that while he believed the evidence, he couldn't comprehend the tiger's reaction. "How exactly did someone beat the tiger into such a cowardly state? I'm not unfamiliar with animal trainers, but no matter how they train, it's impossible to make a tiger so well-behaved and so terrified. A tiger's wild nature is ingrained in its very bones. Even if raised from a young age, it could still turn violent. But to display such total submission as shown in the photos... this..."

To this, Director Fan's response was succinct, "Go see for yourselves!"

"Any questions you have will be answered once you see it, right?"

"Lao Jia, contact our Forestry Bureau's veterinarians immediately. Have them prepare and start the rescue as soon as we arrive."

"Xiao Chen, you prepare a cage for the tiger."

"And Lao Li, you arrange for a large dose of anesthetic. Then..."

He proceeded to issue orders to everyone present. Upon hearing his words, they all sprang into action. For a time, the normally serene Forestry Bureau was abuzz with activity.

After giving these orders, Director Fan remembered the journalists waiting outside for an interview. Leaving them hanging isn't right, and it could damage the Forestry Bureau's image, he thought. So, he straightened his clothes and went out to deal with the reporters.

Once everyone in the Forestry Bureau was prepared according to his instructions, Director Fan quickly excused himself, ended the interview, got into a Forestry Bureau vehicle, and drove towards Xiyin Town.

The reporters weren't fools. They had questioned Director Fan extensively, but the crafty old man hadn't revealed anything useful.

Taking this interview back won't be enough to satisfy our editors, they thought. Combining this with Director Fan's rush to Xiyin Town, the reporters roughly guessed that he must have just found out about the incident himself.

So, to get this big story and successfully complete their assignment, they all followed him to Xiyin Town.

...

「Meanwhile, in Xiyin Town.」

At Zheng Jituo's grandmother's house, Zhang Beixing was completely unaware that his act of subduing the tiger had caused such a huge stir. Not only were reporters coming to interview him, but even the Director of the Forestry Bureau and many senior officials had been alerted and were heading there.

Of course, even if he had known, Zhang Beixing wouldn't have cared much. After all, he had spent time in the Yanjing military district and was on friendly enough terms with Army Colonel Wang Fengyi and Su Dakai to call them brothers. A mere Director of a small city's Forestry Bureau was nothing to him.

Besides, compared to this, he had more important matters at hand! Namely, to call his master, Liu Yi, and share the good news that he had become a Grandmaster!

RING... RING...

The ringing tone sounded from his phone.

Zhang Beixing sat squarely on a small stool, picking at his fingernails, patiently waiting.

After waiting for about half a minute, Liu Yi's voice came through the phone, "Hello, I'm Liu Yi... HISS... Zhang Beixing, why are you calling?"

For some reason, he spoke with a hint of a grimace in his voice, as if he were enduring something.

Hearing this, Zhang Beixing raised an eyebrow, puzzled. "Teacher Liu, what's wrong? Your voice sounds so strange," he asked.

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