Animal Protection Association

"No Raccoon? Xi Ba, how could there be none?"

Good Night looked surprised when he heard Joe Solence say that.

He gestured. "There were two Raccoon specimens on that display stand just now, one with its arms outstretched and the other sitting on the ground... and you even added a dynamic effect to one of them. When I saw it, it made a 'throat-slitting' gesture at me— Xi Ba was pretty creative, I remember it vividly."

Joe Solence was even more shocking.

"What?! While I did add some alchemical devices to some of the specimens, making them perform simple actions... I certainly don't have Raccoon here that would slit your throat."

Good Night scratched his head. "Xi Ba, how could that be? I'm sure I saw it..."

"I'm also certain I don't have any here," Joe Solence said with certainty. "Not only am I certain there aren't any specimens here, but I'm also certain I've never run Raccoon taxidermist... In my long hunting career, I've never even hunted Raccoon! I've never killed a Raccoon in my entire life!"

Upon hearing what Joe Solence said, Xiao Nian spoke up.

"Could it be that you've had too much to drink, Comrade Good Night... Are you Hallucination because you're drunk? There seems to be a Raccoon dancing meme that's been going viral on short Video App lately."

Xiao Nian asked, Good Night shook his head.

"Xi Ba, while my alcohol tolerance isn't as exaggerated as Comrade Yin Lan's, it's not like I can't hold my liquor after just Xi Ba... I speak clearly and walk in a straight line now, I just get a little flushed!"

He spoke earnestly, and Xiao Nian spoke up.

"Many of the drinks in the City That Never Sleeps have Alchemy Energy, and some even possess hallucinogenic effects similar to those of fungi."

Joe began, "But the one I gave you to drink doesn't have... I know you don't like this type of wine, Xiao Nian."

Good Night looked at Qiao and said, "Xi Ba, could it be that two Raccoon really have sneaked into your place?"

Qiao frowned. "Theoretically, it's possible. It's true that there are a lot of Raccoon in the City That Never Sleeps... but they're usually located in the Outer City. Even if there are some in the Inner City, there's no reason for them to get into this building and reach the seventy-something floor. The Security System won't let them off just because they're Raccoon. After all, the Security Level inside this building, especially on key floors like mine, is the highest. The Ventilation Duct and other piping systems are protected to the point that even a rat would be turned to dust by an alchemical device."

Good Night said, "But I definitely saw it... just now at Xi Ba booth in that corner."

As he spoke, Good Night Ye strode over there and pointed to a booth at the very edge of the entire exhibition hall.

Qiao and Xiao Nian followed Good Night over and found two lifelike, lying duck specimens on the display stand that Good Night had pointed to.

"What? Comrade Good Night, you've really lost your mind. These are actually two ducks!"

Xiao Nian said casually.

Good Night scratched his head vigorously. "How strange... how could these be Xi Ba? I clearly saw two Raccoon just now... I saw them very Xi Ba!"

However, as Good Night was puzzled, Joe Solence's expression changed slightly.

"No, no... these weren't originally supposed to be ducks, but two small snakes I caught with a trap—and these ducks aren't even specimens—they're the Fast-Growing Ducks from the experimental project on the 68th floor!"

Joe reached out and grabbed the two ducks, then lifted them up.

These ducks were not specimens, but rather two fresh duck carcasses.

After Joe picked them up, blood even started dripping from the webbed feet of the two ducks.

Blood dripped onto the wooden floor, and the airflow from the air circulation system carried the stench of blood. Joe Solence's expression turned extremely grave.

"Gentlemen... we may have encountered some trouble."

"A mysterious person infiltrated this place and replaced my specimen... Although I don't know their purpose in doing so, it's definitely not a benevolent act!"

As Joe Solence spoke, he also raised his hand and drew a triangle in the air.

But...

This time, her gesture received no response.

Joe Solence frowned and did it again.

The room remained silent.

Just as she was about to do it for the third time, the loudspeaker in the room came on.

The soft, synthesized female voice remained as gentle as ever, but the content and tone of the words had become unusual.

"Ha, ha, Joe Solence, you damned poacher, blood-stained executioner... You've slaughtered so many free lives in the Great Wilderness... Now, it's time for you and your accomplices to pay the price."

"Those lives you destroyed because of your selfish desires will now return from hell to seek Revenge!"

Joe Solence listened, frowning.

Who are you?

The broadcast came on again.

Who I am? That's not important, but telling you wouldn't hurt...

"I am the conscience of City That Never Sleeps, the Protection of the Great Wilderness... I come from the most benevolent, compassionate, and loving organization in the entire City That Never Sleeps —the 'City That Never Sleeps Animal Protection Association'!"

"Executioner, prepare for your reckoning—hum!"

As the broadcast drew to a close, the last words were interrupted by a hum of static.

Then...

"Boom!"

The entire space vibrated, and the alchemical devices that had been modified for Joe Solence's convenience began to operate on their own without Joe's hand gestures or voice commands!

The wooden floors were removed, the reliefs were removed, all the decorative furniture disappeared, leaving only the specimen display cases.

Thick, heavy Alchemy Alloy plates fell, sealing off all entrances and exits to the entire space, leaving only a few air circulation system entrances open.

Joe Solence's expression changed slightly. "He actually managed to forcefully activate 'Safe Mode'... Damn it, that guy didn't just hack into my voice system, he probably hacked into the entire building's central control system!"

And that's not all...

As Joe Solence finished speaking, the roars of wild beasts and the sounds of claws grinding together began to ring out.

"Click, click..."

The stiff bones began to twist, and the dead muscles began to contract and relax again.

The "prey" specimens nailed to the walls, sealed in glass cases, and placed on the open-air platform have come to life again—just as the broadcast announced...

These beings hunted by Joe Solence have returned from hell!

And...

Although they are exhibited here as "prey," they have not been Resurrection as "prey."

These guys who "came back from the dead"...

They are ferocious beasts and Alchemy Monsters from the Wasteland!