Chapter 68: A Day at the Alast Zoo

“Aldoran, don’t you think this animal looks incredibly strange?”

Qing Yu, practically glued to the fence, gazed with boundless curiosity at the peculiar creatures lazily meandering within the sand-filled pit below. He seemed so captivated, he almost wished he could bury his head right alongside them.

This national zoo, specifically established by the kingdom in Alast, housed a diverse collection of rare animals and magical beasts from across the globe. Many possessed bizarre and intriguing appearances, making them truly captivating spectacles.

Aldoran, absorbed in carefully reading the informational plaque beside the fence, remained oblivious to Qing Yu’s words.

This marked Aldoran’s inaugural visit to a zoo in Midgard; until now, she had only encountered such exotic creatures within the pages of books.

“Aldoran, what are you looking at?”

Qing Yu clapped his hands onto Aldoran’s shoulders, then playfully launched himself onto her back.

Aldoran, in turn, playfully scratched Qing Yu’s chin, much like one might tease a kitten.

“I’m reading the description.”

“Sandstorm Beasts, classified as magical beasts, possess extremely low magical content, roughly one percent of an entry-level creature. They inhabit deserts, preferring to be active during sandstorms, feeding on scorching sand. Their temperament is docile, their shells are incredibly hard, and they have virtually no natural predators. Their most distinctive feature is a roar capable of reaching dozens of kilometers away.”

Leaning closer to the informational board, Qing Yu meticulously read the text. He noticed, however, that alongside the familiar script, a series of peculiar symbols adorned the plaque. Pointing at them, he turned to Aldoran.

“Aldoran, what do these mean?”

“They’re still about the Sandstorm Beasts,” she explained, “but written in the languages of other nations.”

Qing Yu nodded. Just then, a sudden commotion rippled through the nearby crowd, drawing both their attention.

Within the enclosure, the usually docile Sandstorm Beasts had, for some unknown reason, erupted into a vicious brawl. Their thick, powerful claws slammed together, eliciting faint flashes of light.

This was proof of the magical energy surging within them.

In an instant, all six beasts were locked in a fierce struggle, each unwilling to yield, exchanging powerful blows.

The noticeably smaller Sandstorm Beast suddenly lunged during the fight, its claws coalescing a faint, earthy-yellow glow. It struck the largest beast’s head, instantly sending it toppling to the ground and kicking up a cloud of dust.

Immediately, a pained roar, as if designed to rupture every eardrum, reverberated through the ears of everyone present.

Upon closer inspection, a piece of the large Sandstorm Beast’s skull had been brutally torn away, gushing blood and scattering torn flesh. Children of all races present began to cry in terror.

Adults quickly began to disperse, either ushering their children away or frantically searching for zookeepers. Chaos erupted throughout the crowd.

Meanwhile, the Sandstorm Beasts showed no sign of ceasing their brutal conflict due to the crowd’s fear. On the contrary, after a desperate struggle, the largest Sandstorm Beast laboriously rose from the ground. Several sharp spikes suddenly burst from its back shell, and a single, formidable spike, glowing faintly, erupted from its torn, blood-soaked head. It roared and charged at the smaller beast.

Perhaps emboldened by its previous success, the smaller beast made no attempt to dodge. Instead, it raised its claws, intending to repeat its tactic. This time, however, fortune did not favor it; a thick horn pierced its abdominal plate, savagely embedding itself deep within its body.

“ROAR—”

Roaring in agony, the smaller beast clamped its two claws tightly around the head of its larger opponent, shaking it with frenzied violence. Under the horrified gaze of everyone present, the enormous head was slowly, incrementally torn apart, exposing the intricate tissues and nerves between its muscles.

“Aldoran, quick, we need to do something! This is getting out of hand!”

Realizing the gravity of the situation, Qing Yu finally reacted, seizing Aldoran’s hand and pleading for her help.

Ordinarily, this was not Aldoran’s responsibility, yet seeing Qing Yu’s anxious expression, she gently raised her hand.

In that instant, a cerulean radiance enveloped the bodies of all the Sandstorm Beasts present, and white snowflakes immediately froze the movements of the six magical creatures.

In a mere two or three seconds, the Sandstorm Beasts, moments ago locked in a thunderous brawl, ceased their assault, frozen in place like statues.

“I’ve temporarily halted their movements. Now, we just need to wait for the zookeepers to handle it.”

Lowering her hand, Aldoran watched the six magical beasts slowly collapse, then took Qing Yu’s hand.

“Let’s move on to the next section. It’s too chaotic here.”

With the situation now contained, Qing Yu saw no reason to linger. He docilely followed Aldoran to the next area.

****

The subsequent enclosure offered a more relaxing experience; it was the habitat for creatures known as “Leaf Bears.” Rumor had it they were the most beloved animals in Midgard, with the Midgardians’ affection for them rivaling, if not surpassing, Earthlings’ devotion to giant pandas.

According to statistics from the Alast Knights, the Leaf Bears alone generated an annual revenue of five thousand gold coins for the zoo—a sum that would take an ordinary person five millennia of working without food or drink to accumulate.

Leaf Bears bore a striking resemblance to Earth’s red pandas, though with slightly larger ears and denser, dark green fur. Their bodies were adorned with light green stripes, making them appear like small shrubs, which aided their camouflage in the jungle.

If the ferocious-looking magical beasts were considered monstrosities, then the Leaf Bears, as animals, were veritable paragons of beauty.

They were housed in a sealed enclosure approximately the size of a standard football field. The entire four-story building featured an open central section, and its exterior was designed to resemble an enlarged Leaf Bear, even capable of rotating to adjust with the changing sunlight.

‘This world is absolutely absurd.’

Qing Yu mused. Before his arrival in Alast, he had always assumed Midgard, apart from its magic, remained utterly backward. Yet, since coming here, everything had continually assaulted his senses.

Aided by magic, some of Midgard’s technology and architecture had already surpassed Earth’s, proving far from the barren and primitive world he had envisioned.

The hollowed-out central section inside was densely planted with a vibrant array of trees and flowers, alongside a stone-lined pool and several excavated streams. Approximately thirty Leaf Bears moved gracefully through the foliage. It was said that the leaves grew so quickly that the Leaf Bears and birds could live entirely self-sufficiently.

Besides the Leaf Bears, numerous peculiar birds also inhabited the space, evidenced by the long row of informational plaques dedicated to them.

“This is incredible, Aldoran!”

Standing on the third level, Qing Yu watched a Leaf Bear lazily perched on a branch, its eyes fixed on him. As he spoke, he waved to the creature. As if in response, the Leaf Bear rolled playfully on the tree trunk, its endearing antics eliciting a burst of laughter from the crowd.

“I find them quite charming myself.”

In fact, Leaf Bears were Aldoran’s favorite animals; a complete set of Leaf Bear illustrations resided in her home library.

“This is amazing, Aldoran! These animals are so cute, I really want one—”

“I want one too.”

Aldoran spoke, her eyes, however, remaining fixed on the Leaf Bears.

This was the first time Qing Yu had ever seen Aldoran so completely captivated.

“So, Aldoran, you like Leaf Bears!”

Qing Yu clapped Aldoran’s shoulder, drawing her back from her reverie.

“They sell Leaf Bear souvenirs over there. Want to take a look?”

“Really?”

Aldoran immediately turned, ready to go with Qing Yu to the souvenir shop. But the very next second, a few leaves on the tree trunk where the Leaf Bear was perched began to stir.

Curious, Qing Yu paused, wanting to see what animal it was first.

The next moment, under the watchful gaze of the crowd, a green figure slowly emerged from the dense foliage—

“E-Eden!”