Super Zoo

"Isn't there supposed to be a Burmese python as well? That's a seriously rare creature; almost extinct." As he spoke, Song had already circled the pile of snake cages that resembled a small hill, but had yet to catch a glimpse of the Burmese python.

Pythons and common venomous snakes have completely different significances for a zoo. Humans crave sensory stimulation, and the massive size of pythons is an unbeatable magnet for attention. Even the most ordinary water python can bring economic benefits and social impact to a zoo far exceeding that of smaller venomous snakes.

Besides, the Burmese python is an endangered species and holds an elite status among pythons.

Moreover, Huaxia is not a traditional habitat for the Burmese python. Discovering one in Huaxia is, in itself, a significant breakthrough in biological research.

Speaking crudely, if used only for exhibition, these hundred or so venomous snakes would not be worth as much as a single Burmese python.

"Oh, I'm keeping it as a pet," Su Ming chuckled. "I plan to release it into the wild eventually."

Sometimes Mr. Song didn't know what to do with Su. If you're planning to release it, why catch it in the first place? It was obvious he was pulling a fast one, intending to take the Burmese python 'for his own'.

However, now that the zoo was about to undergo restructuring, Song was happy to turn a blind eye, only saying, "Be careful. Although the Burmese python is docile, it can still become aggressive and harm people if unexpectedly provoked. Also, while you're raising it, make sure it doesn't die on you. After all, it's an endangered animal."

"Don't worry, it's really comfortable now," Su Ming said with a grin.

The Burmese python was indeed very comfortable. It was soaking blissfully in Shuixie Lake, basking in the "Age-Defying Water."

After soaking in this nourishing liquid for a while, the entire lake, encompassing over ten acres of water, had nutritive values freakishly high. Su Ming even whimsically thought whether prolonged soaking would induce mutations in the lake's creatures. Perhaps snakes would grow legs, soft-shelled turtles would sprout horns, or fish with big heads would grow wings instead of fins.

In any case, Su was quite surprised by several alligator gars. After less than a month without seeing them, the pregnant ones had already laid eggs. Now, there were probably tens of thousands of alligator gar eggs in the water.

The alligator snapping turtles looked greedily at these eggs, which were a delicacy. It was fortunate that Su had forewarned the creatures not to cannibalize each other. After all, the eggs of alligator gars were highly toxic! Eating them would mean certain death.

Bighead, on the other hand, was a bit downcast. Alligator gars were actually one of its natural enemies. With so many of them potentially hatching, they would surely look for food, and swarming over, they could reduce Bighead to just a skeletal frame in no time.

So, in recent times, Bighead had almost become a nervous wreck. Its situation was akin to a sheep living within a wolf pack, but it couldn't bear to leave Shuixie Lake. Thus, it stayed hidden in the nearest place to the bottom of the lake, ready to turn and dash towards Shuijun Lake at the slightest sign of trouble.

It seems that in the future, a special area in the reservoir will have to be set aside for raising alligator gars. They are relatively rare in Huaxia and have decent economic value, so it might be worth a try to raise them. Moreover, with so many eggs, even if only one percent hatch, that's still several hundred. The small Shuixie Lake simply can't accommodate them all.

Near the edge of the small lake, close to Shuixie, in a secluded spot, a few morels were growing, one of which was the nearly half-pound morel king that Su had found.
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After bringing back the morels, Su selected a few particularly large ones and transplanted them near Shuixie, nourishing them with "Age-Defying Water" and assigning the Burmese python and alligator snapping turtle to keep watch.

As for the several dozen smaller morels, Su planned to find a spot in the back mountain to plant them, with the hope that they might cultivate a large patch in the future.

The Burmese python, like a little dragon, twisted and turned in the small lake. A group of alligator gars, eager to ingratiate themselves, followed behind it to bolster its presence; the alligator snapping turtle, resembling a small island, was half-submerged in the center of the lake, craning its neck and posing as a mythical creature, as if it were absorbing the essence of the sun and the moon to cultivate itself. Bighead, somewhat fearful, stayed close to the turtle, occasionally leaping back and forth over the turtle's back like a carp jumping over a dragon gate, creating a lively scene on the small lake's surface.

On the deck outside Shuixie, a large group of cats played merrily. Hei and a white cat also acted carefree, joining a few other large cats in teasing the kittens that had just learned to walk. The kittens were lined up, and with a push from the large cats' small paws, they toppled over like dominoes, rolling around on the ground...

"This is what it's like to live the life of a grand beast," Su murmured, lounging in an armchair, legs crossed and basking in the sun, as he snapped his fingers towards the Burmese python and the alligator snapping turtle in the lake, "Come on, let's see a combo performance."

This 'combo' wasn't the common understanding of the term. Under Su's guidance, the Burmese python slowly climbed onto the body of the alligator snapping turtle, coiled itself around it, and then raised its head high on its back...

Suming quickly pulled out his phone and snapped a photo, posting it to his social circle: "Behold the mythical Xuanwu creature!"

Not long after, his phone buzzed like mad, with non-stop comments and dozens of repost notifications flashing up.

"What's going on, this isn't Photoshopped, is it?"

"It doesn't look like it, Su you beast, where did you find this monster?"

"Holy shit, it really is Xuanwu!"

"Is this a new animal at the zoo, Su, give us some info, will you?"

Many of Suming's school friends had visited the zoo and some recognized it: "Isn't that an alligator snapping turtle? Damn, it's gotten so big? And what the hell is that snake, it's not alive, is it?"

"I get it now, that dude Suming found himself a python to keep!"

"You're so capable, why don't you just fly to the sky?"

Suming lazily replied at the back, 'A unified reply: Believe in Suming, anything is possible!'

"Not getting in touch with me when you're back, you're dead meat!"

Seeing this message brimming with dominance, Suming's smile suddenly stiffened on his face. Yeah, why did he always forget about Nangong, that girl? Could it really be as he said, that she was always in his heart, so he unconsciously neglected her?

He hurried back to his room, snapped pictures of the local products he had bought, and sent the photos over, "I bought you a lot of hometown specialties."

"That's more like it…" Nangong replied immediately, but then she followed up with another message, "Looking at this packaging, it looks suspiciously like something bought on the fly at the station, doesn't it?"

"A woman is less adorable if she's too smart, so I'm asking you, do you want to be cute or smart?" Suming texted back and asked.

"Keep sweet-talking, wait till my show is done, and then I'll settle the score with you." With that, there was no more response; the TV station must be busy after the New Year, and now she had become a little leader of sorts, probably rushing to record a show.

Every time Suming chatted with Nangong Yan, he felt really good, and he couldn't help but reveal a hint of a smile.

Before he finished smiling, suddenly a shiver ran through his heart: "Eh? Something's not right, she's been threatening and blackmailing me all along, so why the hell do I still feel happy? Could it be that I've unconsciously become, without knowing it, a bottom!!?!"

"No, no, I don't want to be a bottom, it's so embarrassing just thinking about it. Have a drink to pluck up some courage!"

Thinking of drinking, he realized he had run out of Monkey Wine.

Seeing that the distillery was about to be set up, it was time to take the Monkey King and his son to brew wine in the back hills.

At the moment, his biggest source of income was the fishery company, but if the distillery was well-managed, the earnings it brought could be no less than that of the fishery company, and might even exceed it!

With the backing of these two major economic industries, there would be a qualitative leap in his finances.