```
The two helicopters that flew to the leisure farm's fishing area clearly were not sightseeing aircraft from the scenic area, naturally attracting a lot of attention and sparking a new round of rumors, both true and false.
Aboard the two helicopters urgently dispatched, in addition to the officials from relevant departments, there were also the "professional receivers" mentioned by the firefighters.
This time, Feng Yi could finally let go.
After the snake was handed over, it was carefully placed into a specially-made large box. Feng Yi didn't see what it looked like inside, but judging from their manner, it was clear a lot of thought had been put into it.
Having turned over the snake, Feng Yi and the other two were still not allowed to leave—they had to be taken in for questioning to assist the investigation.
Wu Ji left a message for his parents, and since his scream of "There's a snake!" was so piercing, nearly everyone nearby the fishing area heard it, which meant he definitely had a lot of questions to answer.
"Excuse me, I need to use the restroom," Feng Yi said to the person in charge.
"Me too, me too! I was so scared I'm practically bursting," Wu Ji also said.
"Count me in!" Qian Feiyang followed.
As Feng Yi and the other two left, the person in charge gave a meaningful look to someone beside him. Before the preliminary investigation was complete, they would restrict the movements of the three to some extent, to prevent them from slipping away.
The expert who arrived said that the mysterious white-tailed green dragon was wild and having grown so large in the wild was a miracle. However, it suffered from a severe case of parasitic infection and urgently needed treatment.
Yue Mountain had never recorded the existence of a white-tailed green dragon. Why it appeared within the Yue Mountain region, and why it went to the fishing area, would have to be uncovered by further investigation.
The matter had been reported up the chain of command, and the people from the United Defense Bureau were expected to arrive soon.
The United Defense Bureau is the domestic branch of the United Defense Organization.
The United Defense Organization is the supervisory organization established following the creation of the "Sixth Database."
And once the United Defense Bureau stepped in, local departments wouldn't have much to do—just coordinate with the Bureau's investigative efforts.
Meanwhile, Feng Yi and the other two reached the restroom.
They were alone, and Wu Ji relaxed significantly.
"Damn it, that scared me to death! I feel like I just got my life back! Thanks, brother!" Wu Ji patted Feng Yi on the shoulder, "You're awesome, holding onto the snake so long with just one hand!"
Feng Yi tugged at the corner of his mouth but said nothing.
Qian Feiyang looked at his own hands, "My hands are still shaking." Then he struck his chest and stamped with regret, "Damn! I didn't take any pictures!"
As a photographer, missing that amazing moment was simply too much regret!
"Alright, hurry up. We're going to be called in for questioning soon," Feng Yi urged.
After the other two entered their stalls, Feng Yi walked to the mirror, removed his sunglasses and mask, and carefully checked his face for any abnormalities.
Eyes, normal.
Nose, normal.
He opened his mouth to check his teeth and tongue inside.
Good, all normal.
Feng Yi breathed a sigh of relief. Finally reassured, he wasn't afraid of being discovered.
Qian Feiyang, coming out of the stall, saw Feng Yi looking in the mirror and joked, "Are you just too concerned about maintaining your image as an idol?"
Qian Feiyang was still shocked by Feng Yi's slick move to ask for sunglasses instead of snake grabbing tools at the critical moment, altering his perception of his old classmate.
When Wu Ji also came out, Qian Feiyang whispered, "There's definitely going to be a one-on-one talk waiting for us, and those guys are not easy to fool."
Qian Feiyang looked at Feng Yi.
Wu Ji, thinking of something, also looked at Feng Yi.
Feng Yi: "…What are you looking at me for?"
Qian Feiyang made a snake-holding gesture, "That thing you did, didn't look like the work of a novice."
Feng Yi realized: "Damn! I haven't done anything illegal! This really was my first time catching a snake! When they ask, just say whatever you know!"
Wu Ji lowered his voice: "There's nothing you can't say? You don't need us to cover for you?"
Feng Yi: "Nothing! No need!"
Feng Yi wouldn't let others know the secrets he didn't want Wu Ji and Qian Feiyang to know.
And everything the two knew about him was not off-limits to talk about.
That person in charge clearly wasn't easy to deceive, and with their capabilities, they wouldn't be able to fool those people's scrutiny. So, just stick to the truth; even some embarrassing stories were okay.
At times like this, it was better to clear themselves of suspicion and prove that none of them had provoked the snake intentionally.
With Feng Yi's reply, Wu Ji and Qian Feiyang also relaxed and laughed.
That's good, they were no longer afraid of being questioned.
Soon, the three were taken to a room.
Since it was not an interrogation, the atmosphere wasn't too solemn. The room was decorated comfortably, with a variety of snacks on the coffee table and cute animal toys sold by the scenic area on the shelves.
The person in charge was mild-mannered, wearing a slight smile, "Have a seat, help yourselves, there's plenty to eat and drink on the table, feel free haha. I just want to understand the whole process of this incident."
Once the three were seated, the person in charge asked, "Before you noticed the snake, you didn't hear anything unusual?"
Wu Ji: "No! I wasn't paying attention to that. I never imagined encountering a snake; I was busy texting my girlfriend."
```
There wasn't anything shameful in the chat logs, so Wu Ji flipped to the records of the chat during that time and showed the other party, including that "sending you a little flower" image.
The person in charge looked at the chat images, then looked at Wu Ji.
Wu Ji was not at all guilty. As long as he wasn't facing the snake, he feared nothing!
The person in charge turned to Feng Yi.
Feng Yi responded, "I was preoccupied at the time and didn't pay attention to my surroundings. I only reacted after Wu Ji called out."
The person in charge asked, "Have you ever caught a snake before?"
Feng Yi replied, "No, it was my first time."
"So steady on your first try?"
Feng Yi thought about it a bit, "Talent, perhaps."
The person in charge quietly observed Feng Yi.
Feng Yi calmly returned the look, his eyes conveying one message: I'm telling the truth!
While the three were being called in for a talk, the internet was also bustling with excitement.
The media quickly picked up on the scent; the topic "National treasure-level animal spotted in Yue Mountain scenic spot" swiftly spread online.
With truth and rumors mixed together, the most exaggerated claim even suggested that there had been a death at the Yue Mountain scenic spot.
The official account of Yue Mountain scenic spot urgently debunked the rumors, assuring that no tourists were bitten, and the ambulance was only there as a precaution. The venomous snake had been subdued before the police arrived. They asked everyone not to worry about the little Qing, who was now being looked after by professionals.
Netizens attracted by the news had different focuses.
"[Image] The one in the sunglasses, the badass who grabbed the snake with one hand. Even the firefighters weren't needed when he showed up."
"That snake looks terrifying just from the shape of its head! A bite must hurt a lot, right?"
"Actually, the toxicity of the little Qing isn't the most potent, but it has a large amount of venom. What would happen if you got bitten is hard to say."
"Got it, enough volume guarantees death."
"Hahaha, my focus is off. I think the snake in the photo looks a bit pitiful."
"Clicked in because of 'national treasure,' was almost scared to ascend to heaven on the spot! Why have snakes not gone extinct yet!!!"
"What you said there, snakes have lived through the dinosaur age and have outlasted countless species."
...
After the incident, the cultural and tourism departments issued a reminder for fishing enthusiasts and tourists to take protective measures, especially when fishing or playing near the Yue Mountain nature reserve, to be more careful.
Folks from the cities around the Yue Mountain scenic area commented:
"Just about to go out fishing and now, scared, I've rolled back home."
"If I encounter a snake, I could run faster than a sprinter!"
"The last time I visited a certain research base, I saw a little Qing through several layers of thick glass. But the one in the video is much bigger than the ones bred by the institute! And it's wild! The biologists must be going crazy!"
"In fact, several have gone mad, dropping what they were doing and heading to Yue Mountain."
"Yue Mountain isn't far from Rong City! The reappearance of a creature thought to be extinct in the wild, could it mean that the ecological environment around Yue Mountain is improving? Maybe the property prices here in Rong City will go up!"
...
At dusk.
In a five-star hotel suite within the Yue Mountain tourist and scenic area.
A group of rich second-generation folks were gathering here.
In the midst of their fun, someone started the topic of the little Qing dragon.
"Such a pity, I didn't get to see the legendary little Qing dragon with my own eyes!"
"I've heard that before the abnormal climate period, this snake was already being auctioned for millions on the black market."
"The name little Qing dragon is so well-chosen, just hearing it makes me want to catch it and soak it in liquor, hahaha! I wonder if it's still available on the black market, I'm so tempted!"
Someone received a call and walked to the window with a surprised look, pulling back the curtain.
In the distance, 5 helicopters flew past in the remaining glow of the sunset.
"Those are United Conservation Bureau's specialized models, quite a turnout. Seems this event has a larger impact than we thought!"
The United Conservation Bureau's fanatical "data" defenders are famously "rather make an error of judgment than let anyone slip by."
Publicly expressing dangerous sentiments will attract the Bureau's attention, leading to no small amount of trouble.
As for what constitutes a dangerous sentiment...
For instance, the comment about capturing the national class protected animal for liquor or trading it on the black market, that's quite dangerous.
A dozen gazes turned towards the speaker.
He shuddered violently and denied loudly:
"It wasn't me! I didn't say that!! I was just drunk!!!"