"Little Apple" replied quickly, Xiang Kun stopped chatting in the group of four and started listening to the voice message she sent.
"It sounds like it's crying out in fear or begging for mercy. Are there any other large, aggressive birds, or cats or dogs nearby?"
Xiang Kun thought for a moment, and if there was one... it would probably be himself.
He said in a voice message, "I just bought it. I guess it's a little uneasy being away from its familiar place. Could I send you some of its calls more often so I can understand what it's trying to say and gain its trust as soon as possible and build a good relationship with it?"
Although Xiang Kun himself could interpret the sounds birdsong to some extent, it was very superficial, and he had to infer based on the surrounding environment. "Little Apple" was much more capable; she seemed to be able to truly discern the meaning birds were trying to convey from the frequency and timbre of their calls.
Xiang Kun wanted to learn this ability.
"Okay!" Little Apple didn't hold back at all and readily agreed.
Xiang Kun made a special trip to the flower and bird market, trying to "intimidate" the birds, and even bought a canary. He also wanted to learn to understand the calls of birds, so he clearly had a purpose.
He was now certain that this intimidating ability to affect the mental and physical states of other creatures had appeared after drinking the blood of the "Giant Owl."
Therefore, he chose birds as his long-term observation subjects, firstly because his intimidation ability had no effect on birds, chickens, ducks, and other poultry before he had drunk the blood of the "Giant Owl".
Secondly, the "Giant Owl" is also a bird, and choosing a bird as the subject of observation can provide more direct feedback.
As for why not just get an owl?
Because owls are a Class II protected animal in China...
After bringing the canary home, Xiang Kun went out again, heading to the rabbit farm he had originally planned to visit yesterday.
After an hour's drive, Xiang Kun arrived at the rabbit farm. He first bought four rabbits, and then casually toured the farm with the owner.
He originally intended to buy several at once, but now it's becoming increasingly difficult to buy live poultry and livestock in the city.
But when he got here, he found that these Belgian rabbits were a size bigger than the meat rabbits he had bought before. If he bought too many, they would be too conspicuous when he carried them back to the community, and the property management would probably come and ask about it, which would be quite troublesome.
Besides buying rabbits, Xiang Kun also came today to "learn" and "inspect" the farm, to have a brief chat with the owner, to see what the return on investment is like, and what difficulties are involved.
Because he started to think about whether he should leave the city where he had worked hard for so many years. He wanted to go back to his hometown, or find another remote mountain village to stay in, open a small breeding farm, and live a secluded life by himself.
As long as there is internet access, a mobile phone, and a computer, he will not be disconnected from the world.
But it allows one to train and conduct research very quietly and undisturbed.
Besides the rabbit, Xiang Kun also bought a chicken and a duck, tied them up, put them in a burlap sack, and carried them in his hand.
On one hand, he wanted to try a new recipe, and on the other hand, he had been drinking rabbit blood for a long time and wanted a change of pace. Although so far, rabbit blood has the strongest taste and the most satisfying effect.
After returning home and putting the livestock and poultry he had bought in the kitchen, Xiang Kun went to see the canary first.
Although Xiang Kun didn't intend to eat the bird or drink its blood, he would still use it for some experiments. He couldn't guarantee its survival, so he didn't keep it as a pet or give it a name.
The canary seemed to be in a stable mood. When it saw Xiang Kun approaching, it hopped around in its cage, quite lively.
Xiang Kun pursed his lips, trying to imitate a bird's call to amuse it, but what came out was a squeaking sound like a mouse, so he had to give up somewhat embarrassedly. The mutation had not given him any talent in this area.
Based on his previous and today's attempts, Xiang Kun has preliminarily determined that his intimidation ability, derived from the owl, can only work on the same type of creature at a time. As for the definition of "same type," he is not yet sure; it might be at the subclass or order level.
At least when horses, which are also mammals, were affected by Xiang Kun, those around them did not feel anything.
But so many different kinds of birds on that street where the flower and bird market used to be were all affected at the same time.
Moreover, the degree and type of impact seem to differ. The impact is similar at the horse farm and the flower and bird market, both being a kind of intimidation of the weak by the strong, making the horses and birds tremble with fear, not daring to act rashly, or even dare not run or make a sound.
But yesterday at the entrance of the residential area, when I was facing that boy with the earring, it was different. It was no longer just intimidation, but had a very strong direct physiological impact.
The difference seems to Xiang Kun's own psychological state and the intentions he wanted to express.
At the horse farm, what he wanted was for the horses to be obedient and compliant, and to be able to control them freely. However, because he was still clinging to his experience from before drinking the Giant Owl's blood, he adopted a fighting stance both mentally and physically. As a result, all the horses were so scared that they almost burrowed into the ground, afraid that if they showed the slightest inappropriate movement, Xiang Kun would misunderstand it as a provocation and bring about a fatal blow.
At the flower and bird market, drawing on his previous experience, he consciously controlled his emotions and physical movements, aided by recalling the image of the owl. The message he conveyed was that a powerful member of its kind was asserting its sovereignty over this territory—who agreed, and who disagreed?
Then Xiang Kun relaxed himself, but the birds did not immediately break free of the state, obviously sensing that the influence was still there. So he imagined himself taking a nap on the beach and changed the signals he released, which finally made the birds break free of the state.
Yesterday at the entrance of the residential area, when faced with the earring-wearing boy who suddenly pulled out a switchblade and pressed it against his waist, Xiang Kun appeared expressionless and seemingly unconcerned, but in reality, a violent force was surging within him.
At that moment, several thoughts were swirling in his mind, as if a voice was shouting loudly:
"Kill him! One punch is enough to kill him!"
"If he dares to point a knife at you, it's perfectly justifiable for you to kill him in self-defense!"
"Let him poke at you, then you can kill him openly and honestly. If anyone else dares to come up, kill them too!"
"Their blood... you can... nobody will notice yours..."
"You've already reported to Officer Chen..."
He even imagined in his mind the scene of smashing that boy's head until it was a bloody mess.
But these thoughts and impulses were still under his firm control; he was confident that he would not lose control.
Therefore, he was able to maintain his sensory sensitivity at the same time, paying attention to the boy's heartbeat, breathing and other physiological states. After realizing that the boy might be unable to withstand it, or that he might be experiencing heart failure or suffocation, he shifted his attention.