Interspecies Communication

The plan was simple and brutal—lure the snake out of its hole, or rather, lure the monkeys out of the forest.

Members of the Wind-Breaking Squad drove two transport trucks that appeared heavily loaded with supplies but were relatively lightly armored, while a standard patrol vehicle "escorted" them at a leisurely pace toward the edge of the Eastern Forest, along the dirt path frequently visited by the monkey troop. Meanwhile, Lin Mo, Wang Keke, and Aunt Zhang hid in the armored command vehicle behind them, observing remotely via drones and onboard equipment.

(Internal OS): "I hope these monkeys are smart enough to accept His Majesty's 'friendly negotiation' willingly, otherwise... heh heh, monkey brains are said to be a famous delicacy..."

The convoy had barely entered the forest fringe, not even reaching the location seen in the previous video, when the tree crowns by the roadside began to shake violently without warning, accompanied by a cacophony of "squeaks and chatters."

"They're here!" came the voice over the communicator from the front, where Scout Li Ning was disguised as the transport truck driver.

Countless gray and brown figures swung and leaped from the trees like ghosts, skillfully forming a perimeter. There were even more than seen in the video—a rough count showed over a hundred of them, each with sharp eyes and claws, clearly not to be trifled with.

The leader was none other than General Maomao, with a bright red triangular flag (Lin Mo insisted it was a flag) fluttering atop his head! He seemed to have groomed himself specifically for today; his red underwear was adjusted more precisely, and he stood on the hood of a transport truck, hands on his hips, looking incredibly arrogant.

On a slightly higher branch in the back, King Jiji made a grand entrance. He still held his arms crossed, his golden fur shimmering in the dappled forest light, and that small, somewhat shabby crown sat stubbornly atop his head. He looked down with disdain, as if to say: "In my territory, all things must pay tribute!"

However, when Maomao's shifty gaze swept across the convoy and finally landed on Lin Mo, who had poked half his body out of the command vehicle's sunroof for a better view, he visibly froze. The dark gold armor, the streamlined, powerful physique, and those golden vertical pupils that didn't belong to any monkey all carried a natural sense of oppression.

(Internal OS): "Hm? Looks like my kingly aura is still somewhat effective. Look at how scared that underwear general is."

Maomao was indeed nervous; he bared his teeth and let out a few threatening low growls, seemingly assessing the danger of this strange, iron-clad giant he had never seen before. The monkey troop behind him also grew slightly restless.

But soon, Maomao seemed to sense something. He "sniffed" carefully (perhaps some form of mental perception), and then his face displayed an extremely anthropomorphic expression of... contempt and arrogance.

(Internal OS): "Damn! What kind of look is that?! Is he looking down on me?! How can a guy wearing underwear look down on me, someone wearing armor?!"

Lin Mo understood the look—it meant, "Oh, it's just an empty shell (Advanced Beast Soldier), you scared the hell out of me."

Sure enough, after confirming Lin Mo's "weak" strength, General Maomao's confidence surged. He patted his chest, led several dozen exceptionally robust Elite Monkey Soldiers, swaggered up to the command vehicle, and then... skillfully extended that furry paw, rubbed his fingers together, and tilted his head, pointing his chin at everyone inside.

The classic begging gesture, back in action!

But this time, unlike the purely physical language of the past, a clear mental intent—carrying strong dissatisfaction and complaints—was transmitted like chaotic radio waves! This intent wasn't directed at any one person but was diffused; Wang Keke, who was also a Spirit Reader, felt it most clearly.

"Squeak! (Translation: Tribute! Pay tribute now!)"

"Gurgle! Hiss! (Translation: You long-legged, hairless monkeys! You don't know the rules at all!)"

"Chirp! Chatter! (Translation: You only gave us a few fruit candies before, are you trying to brush off a beggar?!)"

"Awoo! Woo! (Translation: There are more of us monkeys now! It's not enough to go around!)"

"Squeak—! (Translation: The King says! He will punish you disobedient subjects!)"

"Gaga! Goo! (Translation: The King wants a shiny new crown worthy of his status! You stupid monkeys (referring to humans) actually dared to ignore him!)"

"Hiss! Roar! (Translation: The King is very angry! The consequences are serious! We'll rob you clean! Teach you a lesson!)"

Wang Keke struggled to receive and translate these chaotic messages, her expression shifting from shock to confusion, and finally to a mix of laughter and tears.

She told the others in the vehicle, especially Lin Mo, in broken sentences: "They... they are complaining... saying we 'long-legged hairless monkeys' don't pay enough tribute... that there are too many of them to feed... and that King Jiji wants a new crown, but we ignored him... so they are going to punish us and rob our supplies..."

(Internal OS): "Long... long-legged hairless monkeys?! Damn! That description... it's so damn accurate! Humans are actually a type of monkey in their eyes?! And hairless ones at that?! Wait... King Jiji wants a crown? We ignored him? Who can understand monkey language, for crying out loud!"

Lin Mo realized it in an instant! No wonder these monkeys could "get along" and even "assist" the patrol teams before! The root cause likely lay in their experiences at the zoo before the Great Nirvana!

In their cognition, humans and monkeys belonged to the broad category of "monkeys," just with some external differences (like longer legs, less hair), making them "the same kind" in essence!

Therefore, their previous behavior was more like interacting with "neighbors," asking for snacks, and occasionally helping out. And the humans' "ignoring" (because they couldn't understand monkey language) was seen as "arrogance" and "disrespect," especially the turning of a deaf ear to "King Jiji's" "imperial decree" (the desire for a new crown), which was simply an act of treason!

(Internal OS): "Case solved! It's all solved! This is simply an interspecies diplomatic crisis caused by cognitive bias and communication barriers! And Wang Keke and I, by some twist of fate, have become the 'interpreters' capable of receiving their 'diplomatic notes'!"

Thinking of this, Lin Mo felt both annoyed and amused. He glanced at King Jiji on the branch, who looked "unhappy" because his "decree" had been ignored, and then at General Maomao in front of him, who was indignant on behalf of his "insulted King," his red underwear trembling slightly. He felt a deep sense of helplessness.

(Internal OS): "What kind of mess is this! I came here to hunt a War General, not to mediate a monkey king's ego dispute and supply distribution issues!"

But a mission is a mission, and communication comes first.

Wang Keke tried to focus her mind and transmit her intent back, as gently as possible: "We... did not mean to be disrespectful. We don't understand your language. The crown... we can discuss it. But robbery is wrong."

Maomao received this vague intent, froze for a moment, and then became even angrier, his mental fluctuations intensifying:

"Squeak squeak! (Translation: Lying monkey! Don't understand? Then how can you understand now?!)"

"Gurgle! Awoo! (Translation: You're just making excuses! You look down on our King!)"

"Hiss! Chirp! (Translation: Enough talk! Hand over the good food! The fun stuff! And all the shiny things!)"

"Gaa—! (Translation: Otherwise we'll tear all your iron boxes (trucks) apart!)"

The monkey troop behind him also began to clamor, baring their teeth and slapping the vehicle, the situation spiraling out of control.

(Internal OS): "Damn it! Can't talk it out, huh? You refuse a toast only to drink a forfeit! Do you really think I'm Hello Kitty?!"

Lin Mo's temper flared. He suddenly lunged completely out of the sunroof, his dark gold armor reflecting a cold luster in the sunlight, and he let out a low, threatening tiger roar!

"ROAR—!!"

The terrifying sound wave, mixed with the pressure of the King of Beasts, swept out, instantly drowning out the clamor of the monkey troop. The monkeys in the front row were startled, retreating repeatedly, looking in terror at this "iron-clad beast" exuding such dangerous energy.

Maomao was also taken aback, but relying on his status as a "spirit-type" War General and the backing of King Jiji, he forced himself to stay calm, baring his teeth at Lin Mo as a stronger mental shock, like a sharp spike, stabbed toward Lin Mo!

(Internal OS): "You dare to attack?! I gave you a chance!"

Lin Mo's soul was unique, and his resistance to mental attacks was not weak, but this provocation completely enraged him. A fierce glint flashed in his eyes, and he prepared to unleash [Lightning Strike] to give this "Underwear General" a lesson he would never forget.

"Mimi! Wait!" Wang Keke shouted hurriedly, simultaneously unleashing her mental power to its limit, forming a soft but resilient barrier between Lin Mo and Maomao, attempting to ease the atmosphere. "Don't attack yet! Let's talk more!"

A "hunt" that was originally planned had turned into an intense and absurd "interspecies diplomatic negotiation" between a Winged Tiger, a young Spirit Reader, a crowned Monkey King, and a monkey general wearing red underwear.

(Internal OS): "Talk? How can we talk? Should I say: 'King Jiji, your crown is very shiny, but your general's underwear is even flashier?' This is too hard for a tiger!"

Lin Mo looked at the chaotic and ridiculous scene before him, feeling that life as a tiger was difficult. It seemed the first battle of his patrol hunt was destined to begin in an extremely unprofessional way.