Starting with the Broken-Winged Frost Butterfly: Beast Taming

Leave campus.

They scouted the locations one after another.

Zhu Ran finalized the address.

No. 72, Baihu Lane, East District, Chixia City.

This is a wasteland, abandoned for many years, and no one cares about it.

With the help of senior students from the law department of Zhongdu University, Zhu Ran successfully signed a ten-year lease.

The annual rent is 10 yuan.

Pay one month's rent as deposit and one month's rent as security deposit.

As for cement, gravel, steel plates, pipes, wires... all building materials, basic equipment, construction costs... 50 is enough.

Cheap?

indeed.

But in this world, even if you build a skyscraper from scratch, you don't need dozens or hundreds of workers.

Usually, only five or six beast tamers are needed, along with a few pets with specific functions, and the delivery can be completed in a week or two.

Moreover, the building Zhu Ran constructed was not a complex structure.

Why would a small tiger, a tough and ferocious beast, need a delicate and beautiful habitat?

As long as the venue is large enough, the activity area can be guaranteed.

Take precautions and implement isolation measures.

Keep everything else simple.

"Is that all?"

Liang Baizhou accompanied him throughout the entire process, from site visits and signing documents to discussing site design and finalizing the construction contract. The entire process was completed quickly, and he looked completely unreal.

Zhu Ran waved his phone and smiled:

"The first batch of tiger cubs has been purchased. As per my requirements, I selected those with timid and cautious personalities, and those close to their evolutionary threshold. 22 cubs for 60,000 yuan, isn't that a good deal?"

As fellow experts in species evolution, Liang Baizhou keenly observed two key words.

Timid, cautious...

What are the evolutionary conditions for the adorable tiger cub, and how is it related to its personality?

Zhu Ran didn't care about revealing the secrets of heaven.

After finishing the bill, he looked dejected.

Although all materials were purchased through Chung-Tu University's purchasing department, they were 10-20% cheaper than the market price.

However, the evolution materials for the little tiger cost at least 38,000 per portion, so ten portions would cost 380,000.

The company's balance sheet was 130 million, but in less than half a day, it shrank to 16.

Once the base is built, the little tigers will need to eat meat every day, right? And if you factor in water, electricity, and labor costs, the cash flow will be depleted instantly.

"How about we get a loan from a bank?"

"Or perhaps we could borrow some from wealthy businesswomen?"

Liang Baizhou was also doing the math, and after he finished, he felt terrible. Why did it feel like this company could go bankrupt at any moment? Would he, the technical director, be laid off after just two days?

Zhu Ran smacked his lips.

With Zhongdu University backing it up, getting a loan of two or three million shouldn't be a problem.

But he still has the mentality of a small-town bourgeois, always feeling that he owes money and is carrying a lot of pressure out of nowhere.

"We won't borrow money from the bank unless it's absolutely necessary."

"However, we can consider it with wealthy businesswomen, but not in the form of loans..."

Zhu Ran had an idea and decided to go back and try again.

"Boss Zhu, I will be closely monitoring the construction process. If all goes well, you should be able to sign for the package in a week. Please feel free to call me anytime."

Before parting, the specialist in charge of land leasing shook hands with Zhu Ran with a big smile.

Zhu Ran nodded, then looked towards the south of the wasteland.

There stands a low, old-fashioned building, all alone in the desolation, looking increasingly out of place.

"What's that over there? It doesn't look like a factory, nor does it look like an industrial park... Is it a haunted house?"

"That's a shelter for the disabled."

The specialist's professional smile faded slightly, and he answered softly.

Zhu Ran raised an eyebrow.

Xuexi on his back and the two little tigers in his arms blinked blankly.

"There are always some pets that are born with defects or become disabled due to injury or illness, and are cruelly abandoned by their owners."

"The shelter provides food, takes in these helpless little creatures, and gives them a peaceful place to live out their remaining years..."

At this point in the explanation, the commissioner sighed:

"Unfortunately, this family is not legitimate in many ways. Not only can they not receive funding subsidies from the association, but they also cannot receive donations from philanthropists. They are barely surviving on their meager savings."

"But I estimate they won't last until the end of the month. They've already fallen behind on several months' worth of utilities and rent, and someone else has taken a liking to that piece of land. At the latest, by the end of the month, that site will definitely be forcibly reclaimed..."

"What do you do with the disabled pets inside?" Liang Baizhou couldn't help but ask.

"What else can we do?"

The commissioner said helplessly, "Most were euthanized, a small number were sent to other shelters..."

Zhu Ran and Liang Baizhou both fell silent.

Behind the glitz and glamour of a city, there are always some dark corners that no one cares about.

The commissioner sighed softly, "After seeing so much, people become numb..."

"Take me to see it," Zhu Ran suddenly said.

Liang Baizhou nodded and said, "Maybe it can be of help? Master Zhu is now a fairly well-known internet celebrity with a certain fan base."

"this……"

The commissioner showed a hint of surprise, paused, and then gave a slight bow, saying:

"You two are very kind, but some of the little ones inside are sensitive and easily angered, and prone to startling and hurting people. When you visit later, please remember not to speak loudly, and especially not to go near the fence..."

Zhu Ran nodded gently.

A short while later.

Stepping into the disabled shelter, the walls were dilapidated and cracked, the railings were rusty, and all kinds of feeding equipment were old and worn out.

A few bits of dry grass were scattered on the ground, but there was no garbage piled up, and there was no pungent odor in the air. These traces showed the owner's daily care.

"A guest?"

Hearing the commotion, the person in charge of the shelter hurriedly came out from between the cages.

She was wearing a faded animal protection suit with patches on the elbows and knees, and her clothes and trouser legs were covered in mud and vine debris. She looked disheveled but simple.

Behind her was a pet, a C-level juvenile "water gun shrimp," one meter long, with a smooth and intact shell, both pincers intact, and its eyes were full of vigilance when it looked at strangers.

"Who are you?"

Zhang Fei recognized the commissioner and even remembered that his name was Lin Shan, so she wiped her hands and looked curiously at Zhu Ran and Liang Baizhou.

"This is General Manager Zhu, and this is General Manager Liang. They just acquired the wasteland next door."

Lin Shan smiled and said, "I heard you're having some difficulties here, so I came to take a look. Maybe I can offer a little help."

"Thanks."

Zhang Fei bowed three times, her back bent low, her eyes filled with gratitude.

"How about you show us around first?"

Zhu Ran wanted to understand the whole picture before making a decision.

"Of course, that's only right."

Zhang Fei took a light breath and immediately led the way, pointing to each cage and introducing them one by one:

"These are all land-based pets, and some of them are quite old, so let them get some sun..."

"This is the high-temperature zone, which is also our kitchen, and it's home to two fire-type pets..."

"This is the aquatic area. There's a goldfish with intermittent amnesia, several blind iron-shelled turtles, and a false pearl mussel with a split back..."

We toured the area.

Just as I had first impressions, no matter which area, no matter how old the equipment or how small the space, hygiene was never compromised.

Zhu Ran stopped in a cage.

"This is 'Haha's' room. It has a strong body odor, so the other pets don't want to live with it. But it doesn't mean any harm; it's just a bit too energetic. Sometimes it gets so excited that it knocks me over..."