Chapter 104 (1/2)
Chapter 104: Panda on Strike III
”The invasion of the rats is no different from bringing organisms from outside into the room . These foreign and undomesticated organisms are a threat to the condition within . The absence of predators allows for breeding, which produced some bacteria . These unbridled germs are a danger to the local species . When a certain species thin out, it will be listed as endangered, which in turn destabilizes our king's position,” 63 explained .
”I see . So how do we solve this?” Chalk blurted out without thinking .
63 gave Chalk a strange look . ”You know, you're really weird . You're here to solve it, aren't you? Why do you seem to be at such a loss? I'm so worried . Do you know why you've been conferred the t.i.tle of Horseman?”
”Aye, why's that so?” Chalk asked curiously .
”Because the king's youngest son is in your country . He wants to treat you well so that your messenger will let your crew know to do the same for his son,” 63 answered .
”Our messenger?”
”Why are you so out of it? Look there!”
A bird was perched outside the window .
”Apodidae . That's your messenger . I heard it could even bring a tree branch back to your country . When they get tired, they would place the branch on the sea and rest on it . When they get hungry, they would hunt for fishes . It can make two return trips in a year to convey messages . It's seen how our king treated you so it will go back and relay that . Understand?”
”Yeah . Then that platypus professor . . . is he very smart?”
”You'll find out tomorrow night . I should go back now . I'll come over every six hours . Tell me where you want to go and who you want to talk to . Goodnight, my giant panda,” 63 finished before leaping away .
63 squeezed through the gap under the door and disappeared before Chalk's eyes .
After some thought, Chalk removed the s.h.i.+eld badge from his chest and buried it somewhere around his enclosure .
He lied down on the bamboo stack and mumbled, ”How do we prevent the rats?”
Before he knew it, however, he had already fallen into a deep sleep .
Some time later, knocks sounded again, startling Chalk .
The door opened slowly and two monkeys came in, one standing on top of the other .
The monkey on top had just pulled a human hairclip from the keyhole .
”Sorry to keep you waiting . I'm Jinjin and he's Sisi . We're the golden snub-nosed monkeys and we're here to help you,” one greeted .
”Help me?” Chalk asked, puzzled .
”Less talking . Follow us . ”
At a loss, Chalk had no choice but to obey .
Before they exited the exhibition hall, one monkey grabbed a bamboo and stuck it under the door to prevent it from moving .
”Where are we going?” Chalk questioned .
”To give your family a call . But don't tell anyone here, okay? Making calls is our secret method of communication . No spreading,” Jinjin explained .
Sisi raised a finger up to his mouth . ”Security, hide . ”
Jinjin pushed Chalk, with much effort, to a wall corner before shrinking into another . He whispered, ”Hide all your white fur!”
Chalk looked down at his black paws . He used one to cover his stomach and the other to hide his head .
Sisi chose to climb up the lamp post .
The security made his round and walked past Chalk, flas.h.i.+ng his torchlight around . The light almost, just almost, exposed Chalk's location .
The security walked further away and
and Chalk heaved a sigh of relief .
Sisi came down and patted Chalk on the shoulder . ”Alright, let's go . We'll have to be quick since it's already past 3 am and we've got to get you back before dawn . It should be about 1 am over there so that's perfect timing . ”
They reached the outside of a small room and Sisi leaped onto the windowsill while Jinjin pushed Chalk close along the wall corners .
Sisi noted urgently, ”Oh no, it's locked today! That's strange . What's going on? What do we do?”
”Smash it, smash it,” Jinjin suggested .
Sisi jumped down in frustration and picked a large stone from nearby, handing it to Chalk . ”You're stronger . Smash it . Jinjin, go to the roof and inform us if you see anybody . ”
With one hand, Chalk threw the stone at the window .
Thud! Cracks appeared on the gla.s.s .
Sisi leaped up again and tried forcing the gla.s.s open .