Future Pet Shop

Chapter 216: The African Pingtou, a Badass of Few Words

The animal was about ninety centimeters from head to tail and stood roughly thirty-odd centimeters tall. Its body was black and white; its face below the brow was black, while a swath of silvery-white ran from its forehead all the way down its back, making it look as if it were wearing a silver-white cape. The patch of white on its forehead made it look for all the world like it was sporting a flat-top haircut.

Its fur was loose and very coarse, and its build was similar to a badger’s. It had a thickset body, a broad head, small eyes, and no visible ears. Its nose was blunt, and its claws looked incredibly strong. Though it was clearly exhausted, you could still tell its movements were remarkably agile.

"Bin, what is that animal? Is it the one you’re looking for?" Sylvie asked. Just then, the animal caught up to Bell and latched its teeth firmly into his boot. It let Bell drag it across the sand, but it absolutely refused to let go and allow him to leave.

Shen Yibin happened to be looking at the pet radar. He saw that the position of the orange dot on the screen coincided perfectly with the animal’s location, and the dot was also creeping forward. This animal right in front of them was definitely the one he was looking for.

"That’s Pingtou... oh, no, a Mongoose," Shen Yibin said, stumbling over the name. "Its build is like a badger’s, and because it loves to eat honey, it’s called a Mongoose. But it actually belongs to the weasel family."

Asia has Mr. Tattoo, and Africa has Pingtou. These two were the top dogs of the animal kingdom. He never thought the Future Pet Shop would send him to find a Mongoose. Shen Yibin’s head started to ache. ’How am I supposed to catch this thing and give it medicine? Even Bear Grylls can’t handle it. What am I supposed to do?’

"The weasel family?" Sylvie couldn’t help but cover her nose. She must have been thinking of another infamous animal from that family—the skunk. ’They smell awful. I wonder if Pingtou is the same?’

"Yes, the Mongoose can also release a terrifying gas from its anal glands to attack its opponents. Especially bees. They’ll pass out as soon as they smell it." ’Pingtou not only has unpredictable moves and powerful melee combat skills, but it also carries its own biochemical weapon. No wonder even Bear Grylls ran so fast.’

"Uh, I think it might be better if I went back to the hotel to rest," Sylvie said. A smell like that would be a critical blow to her as well; it was doubtful any girl could stand it.

Of course, she was just saying that. She was actually still very curious about the Mongoose. "So what do we do now? Should we try to catch it while we can?"

"Let’s just watch for now," Shen Yibin said. "We’ll wait, observe it for a while to get familiar with its habits, and then decide. If we act rashly and it gets away, we’ll be in trouble. Mongooses have a huge range. If it escapes, it won’t be easy to find it again." He had already gotten a taste of Pingtou’s vast range on the pet radar.

’Even though I have the pet radar and can monitor Pingtou’s position at any time, it would still be hard to catch if it ran into an area with complex terrain. It’s better to let it stay here on the Savannah, where it’s relatively easier to deal with.’

Somehow, Bear Grylls managed to placate it. The Pingtou finally seemed satisfied, gave up its grudge against him, and disappeared into the dense grass. So, Shen Yibin led Sylvie and Hah’Er back over to Bear Grylls’ side. He wanted to ask for more information. After all, Shen Yibin’s knowledge about Pingtou was rather fragmented; it was better to consult an expert.

"Mr. Grills, I’m very curious. Why would such a small animal dare to attack you? Isn’t it scared at all?" Sylvie asked Bear Grylls.

"The Mongoose is no ordinary animal. It’s been named the world’s most fearless animal for several years running. It’ll even charge a lion without the slightest hesitation." Pingtou was just that badass. Bell began to explain to Sylvie, "This is because the Mongoose’s eye structure is different from that of other animals. Some researchers found that Mongooses have eyes with concave lenses, so any animal they look at appears smaller than it really is. Whether it’s looking at a lion, an elephant, a hippo, or a Rhino, it thinks they’re all smaller than it is, so it feels no fear when it fights."

’What a talent... it leaves you speechless. Now that’s what you call truly looking down on someone,’ Shen Yibin was at a loss for words. Bell continued to explain to them, "But it’s not like it provokes others without having the strength to back it up. First, the Mongoose’s legs are quite short, which means very few animals can attack its belly. Its ears fold inward, removing another weak spot. Also, the Mongoose’s hide is extremely thick. Most animals can’t even bite through it."

"On top of that, the Mongoose is incredibly agile and highly intelligent. It can quickly find an opponent’s weak spots and attack them." At this point, Bell spread his hands. "See? It can evade or is immune to most attacks, while its opponents don’t have many ways to deal with it. Add to that the Mongoose’s tenacious personality, and very few animals are willing to pick a fight with such a troublesome creature. If I ran into one, I’d stay far, far away too."

After chatting for a while and getting a lot of information on Pingtou from Bear Grylls, the two groups parted ways. Bear Grylls and his team continued onward with their filming, while Shen Yibin, the guide, and Alfred began setting up their tents. They planned to spend the night there, continuing to monitor the Mongoose until they found the right opportunity to catch it.

Following the guide’s instructions, they quickly set up the tents and made preparations for protection. At night, Shen Yibin, the guide, and Alfred would stay in the tents. Sylvie and Hah’Er, on the other hand, would rest in the safer helicopter.

After eating some dry rations and drinking some bottled water, the group, exhausted from the day’s events, began to rest. When Shen Yibin woke up the next day, he saw on the radar that the Mongoose hadn’t gone far. He looked around, found a large tree, and climbed it. He sat at the very top, raised his binoculars, and began searching in the direction indicated by the radar.

"Careful, there’s a lion!" One look was all it took to send a cold sweat down Shen Yibin’s back. He quickly signaled for Sylvie and Hah’Er to hide in the helicopter and be ready to take off at a moment’s notice. He, however, stayed behind to continue observing, because he had already spotted the Mongoose in a standoff with the lion.

The lion weighed nearly two hundred kilograms, while the Mongoose was just over ten. The two weren’t even in the same weight class. The lion was roaring continuously, apparently trying to drive the Mongoose away.

But the fearless Pingtou wasn’t about to be intimidated. After circling the lion a few times, it immediately launched an attack.