Chapter 58

Calculating how much time was left until the real hunting season, Qi Ping also pondered how many 'professional' hunters Luo Yi, that bastard, could bring. In fact, Qi Ping was quite looking forward to it. After all, the former Qi Ping was just a country bumpkin, and hunting, which seemed like a high-end activity, was something he had never had the chance to try.

After a round of boxing, Qi Ping still felt very comfortable; he had already developed such a habit. It was certain that boxing was beneficial to his body.

In the past, he was just an ordinary white-collar worker in an office, with very few opportunities for exercise; sub-health, perhaps a little, even though being young seemed to be a certain capital. But now that he had the conditions, Qi Ping naturally hoped his body would be better. Life was good now, and Qi Ping cherished it even more.

Although it was just some basic cultivation techniques, they were already very good for Qi Ping, and not just for him. These were techniques passed down from those reclusive sects, which were nothing short of a dream for Qi Ping. It was all good now; after these few months of cultivation, even if he couldn't match those top-notch fighters, Qi Ping knew he wasn't someone to be trifled with.

Qi Ping wasn't particularly tall, but it was enough; he wasn't short, anyway. Boxing had long become a part of his life, and on days when he didn't practice, he felt uneasy all day. Perhaps because of his daily boxing, Qi Ping now had muscles, not the bulky kind like rugby players, but a well-proportioned and good-looking physique.

"Six-pack abs, and the chest muscles are starting to show a bit. If I buy a tight T-shirt, I'll definitely look awesome. Unlike those bodybuilders who just build bulk, my muscles are all full of strength." Looking at himself in the mirror, a bit narcissistic, he originally planned to take a selfie; but seeing Jingang looking puzzled on the side, he decided against it.

Although Jingang didn't know how to flatter, Qi Ping was still quite proud. After graduating from university, the barely noticeable abs on his body had long turned into a round lump. Now, with the enviable six-pack abs, Qi Ping really wanted to go to San Diego's beach immediately, where such a physique would surely make a bunch of fangirls drool!

Narcissism was one thing, but Qi Ping also knew it was time to get down to business. The members of Professor Bruce's research team had arrived, and Qi Ping didn't really need to show up, as long as Bruce was responsible to him. But since he was counting on these members to take better care of the forest, it wasn't a big deal to greet them.

"Do you want to go out and play?" Looking at Liangshanbo and Zhu Yingtai standing on the sofa, Qi Ping felt a bit helpless.

Liangshanbo and Zhu Yingtai were really great; they were very smart. They couldn't fly yet, and their feathers had just barely grown in, but they had already learned several phrases. However, these two were really too aloof, always standing on the sofa in a pose, which made people feel a lot of pressure.

"Quack, quack!" Liangshanbo and Zhu Yingtai responded. Although they couldn't fly, they had lofty aspirations to soar into the clouds. Seeing these two flapping their wings and making unpleasant noises, Qi Ping knew they wanted to go out and play today.

Dongnanxibei were still very obedient; they didn't need much care anymore, as they were already half-grown sheepdogs. However, these smart little guys were still very clingy, and Qi Ping enjoyed taking them out to play games.

As for Jingang, he had already climbed onto the table; since they were going out to play, he knew to take his little backpack from the coat rack and fill it with fruit to eat on the way.

Looking up, Heitan was nowhere to be found. This mischievous little horse was living happily in the forest, and Qi Ping never locked him up, so he could run around freely. He probably hadn't gone far; a whistle would do the trick. Otherwise, the sound might not be loud enough for Heitan to hear.

Seeing the increasingly magnificent Heitan run over, Qi Ping was quite proud. This was the fine steed Qi Ping had been taking care of all along. Although it might not be a blood-sweating horse or a thousand-mile horse, Heitan was smart and had a spirit, which was what Qi Ping valued most. Having a steed that understood him was what Qi Ping was most proud of.

Jingang, carrying a big bag of fruit, was happy and greeted Heitan, who had gone out for a morning walk.

Qi Ping's face immediately turned sour. Although Heitan had returned, he first ran over to greet Jingang and Dongnanxibei, and even Liangshanbo and Zhu Yingtai were ahead of Qi Ping.

This made Qi Ping really feel unbalanced. He thought he should be the core, but now it seemed he might be the least important one. In this special family, Qi Ping might be the one at the bottom, a rather tragic role!

In fact, it was indeed so, and Qi Ping had reason to feel aggrieved. The gap was indeed too big, and Qi Ping felt he couldn't accept it. But there was no way around it; who could make the family always fair and democratic? Qi Ping wouldn't force Jingang and the others to revolve around him; that would be unfair.

However, Qi Ping also thought he could use some small tricks. Although Jingang and the others were very smart, it was only relatively speaking; their intelligence was clearly far from Qi Ping's. So as long as Qi Ping used some shameless tricks, his status in the family might rocket up.

Driving his four-wheel drive off-road vehicle, which was also one of Qi Ping's favorite toys, Jingang naturally rode the horse. He didn't like sitting in the car; as long as he could ride the horse, Jingang was willing to follow Heitan. As for Liangshanbo and Zhu Yingtai, their claws were a bit sharp, so they had to sit in the car; but they weren't quiet, and a slight bump would make them start squawking loudly, making a lot of noise.

"I knew you'd be a tough boss, Qi. You can't ask us to start working right now," Professor Bruce joked when he saw Qi Ping come over.

"I just came to meet the members of the research team, old man. I'm not as bad as you think," Qi Ping, who was now quite familiar with Bruce, naturally started joking.

"Then I'm relieved, buddy." Bruce proudly began introducing the members of the research team, all of whom he had recruited, and they were all scholars with excellent professional knowledge. "Trust me, Qi. Your sponsorship will bring great returns, no doubt about it. We will quickly produce our research results and help you solve some troubles thoroughly."

"That's what I want to hear, old man. I'll leave it to you. I believe you and your team can do it," Qi Ping, who trusted Bruce, said. After all, Bruce was a learned professor, and Qi Ping wouldn't have been so willing to sponsor him otherwise. "But I hope you can hurry. You know, some of our preventive measures now seem outdated, and I need better methods."

"No problem, we won't take your sponsorship for granted. But buddy, I think you might need to consider this: you know, many research results are hard to apply on a large scale when they first come out because the cost might be high." Bruce smiled slyly, looking very confident.

Qi Ping suddenly felt his heart sink. Bruce, the old fox, was thoroughly holding back until he saw the rabbit. Now, he might already have a solution, but he was using some tricks to get on Qi Ping's bandwagon. But Qi Ping accepted it; as long as it could solve the forest's current problems, it was worth it.

"Fine, you know the forest's special situation. I don't care about money; I need results!" Biting his teeth, he said fiercely, which was also his inner reflection. The forest was the foundation, and money was secondary.

As for that old bastard Bruce, don't let me catch you in a bind!