Chapter Summaries

Shi Wen received an email claiming that his late grandfather had left him a ranch, and he booked an appointment with a government service center to check whether the offer was genuine. His aunt said his grandfather had only helped raise livestock in J Province, leaving Shi Wen unsure what to expect at the appointment.

• Shi Wen stayed late at work while his colleagues left for the day.
• Shi Wen received an email saying that his grandfather, Shi Jingbo, had owned a ranch and that Shi Wen could inherit it.
• Shi Wen used the province's official mini program to book an appointment with the Anomaly Management department for the next morning.
• Shi Wen called his aunt, who said Shi Jingbo had only helped someone raise cattle and sheep in J Province and that Shi Wen's father and cousin had handled his affairs.

Shi Wen discovered that he had awakened the Qilin Bloodline and qualified to inherit his grandfather’s 3,000-mu ranch. He traveled to J Province and entered the ranch, where the familiar landscape left him wondering what awaited him.

• Shi Wen visited the Abnormal Affairs Bureau service center, where a clerk told him he qualified to inherit his grandfather’s ranch after meeting the Divinity and Abilities requirements.
• Shi Wen underwent an examination at City B Military District General Hospital and learned that he had awakened the Qilin Bloodline, with Divinity of 201 and Abilities of 137.
• Shi Wen returned to the service center, confirmed his inheritance, and received information about the ranch and instructions concerning his bloodline.
• Shi Wen booked a flight to J Province and traveled to his grandfather’s ranch near a small town outside N City.
• Shi Wen recognized his grandfather’s handwriting on the ranch sign, entered the property, and saw the buildings across its vast, flat grounds.

Shi Wen inherited his grandfather Shi Jingbo’s ranch and moved there after completing the paperwork and leaving his job. After settling into the house, he began assessing the work needed to restore the ranch’s livestock sheds.

• Shi Wen visited the ranch, met village head Fu Meng, and toured the property before Fu Meng drove him into town.
• The clerk processed Shi Wen’s inheritance and explained that the ranch could be reclaimed if his bloodline failed its examination or the property fell into disuse.
• Shi Wen resigned, ended his lease, moved his belongings to the town, and returned to the ranch with a key from the J Province Abnormal Affairs Office.
• Shi Wen cleaned the house and prepared it to live in, then saw that the livestock sheds needed repairs and cleaning.
• Shi Wen rode his motorcycle into town to look for supplies.

Shi Wen bought disinfectants and supplies, cleaned and disinfected the livestock shed, then prepared to buy lambs at the town market with Fu Meng. The chapter left them eating lamb rice noodles before entering the market to shop.

• Shi Wen bought Xiaoteling disinfectant and quicklime at a veterinary medicine store, then stocked up on groceries in town.
• Shi Wen disinfected the livestock shed and its equipment after cleaning it, finishing near dark.
• The next morning, Shi Wen repaired the shed and received a call from Fu Meng inviting him to the lamb market.
• Shi Wen changed and rode with Fu Meng to the cattle and sheep market, where they stopped for lamb rice noodles.

Shi Wen went to the lamb market with Fu Meng and bought lambs for his new flock. After a morning of choosing and bargaining, he had thirty-seven lambs, and Fu Meng brought the three-wheeler to collect them.

• Shi Wen inspected the lambs and bought a fine ewe for 420 after bargaining with the seller, with Fu Meng helping negotiate.
• Shi Wen continued choosing lambs, exchanged WeChat contacts with several young local sheep raisers, and agreed to meet them sometime.
• Shi Wen bought thirty-seven lambs in total: thirty-two ewes and five castrated ram lambs.
• After Shi Wen finished shopping, Fu Meng drove the three-wheeler over to meet him.

Shi Wen bought rapeseed cake for his lambs and settled them into their clean pen. After watching the lambs adjust well to the ranch, he began clearing its overgrown drainage ditch and caught fish and large swamp eels as he worked.

• Fu Meng took Shi Wen to Old Sun's feed store, where Shi Wen bought fifty kilograms of rapeseed cake.
• Old Sun delivered the feed to Shi Wen's home and helped drive the lambs into their clean pen, praising Shi Wen's care and choice of sheep.
• After several days of watching the lambs settle in, Shi Wen decided to clear the ranch's clogged ditch before summer.
• Shi Wen waded into the ditch and dug out its silt, catching fish and several large swamp eels along the way.
• Shi Wen checked on the lambs grazing nearby and planned to buy sheepdogs and repair the ranch's wire fencing.

Shi Wen caught an unusual fish before stopping a runaway horse and rescuing its rider, Gong Jiang. After calming the horse and explaining why it had bolted, he met its owner, Yan Kexing.

• Shi Wen caught an unusual fish in the grass and photographed it to identify later.
• Shi Wen saw Gong Jiang in danger on a runaway horse, yanked the reins to stop it, and pulled Gong Jiang clear when the horse fell.
• Shi Wen helped the horse stand and calmed it until it stopped acting wild.
• Shi Wen pointed out a wasp sting on the horse's ear as the likely reason it had spooked.
• Yan Kexing thanked Shi Wen for saving his student, and Shi Wen exchanged names with him while admiring his appearance.

Shi Wen invited Yan Kexing and Gong Jiang to his ranch for tea and lunch, then discovered that two fish he had caught were protected species. After they released the fish and shared a hot pot, the three ate and talked together.

• Shi Wen brought Yan Kexing and Gong Jiang into his ranch and offered them tea and lunch.
• Yan Kexing identified a first-class protected flat-snouted fish in Shi Wen's bucket, and Shi Wen carefully returned it to the ditch.
• Yan Kexing identified another fish as a schizothoracin, so Shi Wen returned that fish as well.
• Yan Kexing cleaned the remaining fish while Shi Wen and Gong Jiang prepared vegetables and hot pot.
• Shi Wen, Yan Kexing, and Gong Jiang ate the fish and chatted, with Shi Wen keeping some of his attention on Yan Kexing.

After sharing a meal with Yan Kexing and Gong Jiang, Shi Wen learned that Yan Kexing was a doctoral supervisor at S University and looked up his research. Yan Kexing then recommended Shi Wen for the next round of a closed beta, and Zhu Ji added him to the first batch's list.

• Shi Wen hosted Yan Kexing and Gong Jiang for lunch, and the two guests helped wash the dishes before leaving the ranch.
• Shi Wen learned from Gong Jiang that Yan Kexing supervised doctoral students at a famous university, then watched them ride away.
• Shi Wen looked up Yan Kexing on S University's website and struggled to read a paper by his environmental science team.
• Yan Kexing discussed the Agouna Mountains' northern slopes with Zhu Ji and recommended Shi Wen as a suitable closed-beta test subject.
• Zhu Ji recognized Shi Wen's Qilin Bloodline, reviewed his file, and moved him onto the first batch's list.

Shi Wen received a testing device from the J Province Abnormal Affairs Bureau and found that his Divinity and Abilities had increased since he began raising sheep. After Gong Jiang offered to show him sheepdog puppies, Shi Wen set out with him to visit the villages where they were located.

• A courier delivered Shi Wen a testing device from the J Province Abnormal Affairs Bureau, and Shi Wen verified the package with an administrator before using it.
• The device showed Shi Wen had 222 Divinity and 150 Abilities, both higher than his previous readings.
• Shi Wen observed that his sheep were healthy, growing well, and returning to their enclosure on their own, and he considered adding other livestock.
• Gong Jiang sent Shi Wen videos of local sheepdog puppies and offered to take him to see them.
• The next day, Gong Jiang arrived alone at Shi Wen's ranch, and they prepared to ride their motorcycles to the villages.

Shi Wen visited several herder families with Gong Jiang to find a sheepdog puppy. He chose a frail puppy he felt an immediate connection with, paid eight hundred yuan, and brought it home.

• Gong Jiang took Shi Wen to a herder's home, where Shi Wen examined five puppies but chose none.
• Shi Wen inspected puppies at a second place and again found none he felt suited him.
• At the third place, Shi Wen chose a scrawny puppy despite Gong Jiang's warning that it was frail.
• Nurguli accepted eight hundred yuan for the puppy, and Shi Wen carried it in a bag as he visited two more places.
• Shi Wen took the puppy home and made it a nest from a cardboard box and a blanket beside the livestock shed's fence.

Shi Wen trained his puppy, Heiwa, in basic commands while preparing him to grow stronger before herding sheep. When Gong Jiang and his students arrived to study the ranch’s fish, Shi Wen guided them to several species, and the group paused for lunch after a morning of sampling.

• Shi Wen fed Heiwa and kept him outside by the livestock shed, following Nurguli’s advice that he was a working dog, not a pet.
• Shi Wen taught Heiwa the “forward left” command and planned to spend a month familiarizing him with the ranch and building his strength.
• Gong Jiang arrived with Lin Chengqian and Ge Yue to sample fish in the ranch’s stream, and Shi Wen introduced them to Heiwa.
• Shi Wen led the group to stretches of ditch where they found flat-snouted fish, Arctic grayling, and naked-bellied sturgeon, then photographed and sampled the fish.
• After working through most of the sampling, Shi Wen invited Gong Jiang and his students to the ranch for a simple lunch.

After finishing their fieldwork, Shi Wen considered raising geese at his ranch and went with Ge Yue, Lin Chengqian, and Gong Jiang to visit a farm restaurant that sold goslings. Ma Bingjun said the current batch was reserved, but offered to help when he thought Shi Wen was Professor Yan’s friend, leaving Shi Wen to clarify that they knew each other.

• The puppy fell asleep in the courtyard while Shi Wen and the others returned inside, rested, and ate noodles for lunch.
• Shi Wen, Ge Yue, Lin Chengqian, and Gong Jiang finished surveying the ditches and discussed whether raising geese would affect the fish.
• Gong Jiang told Shi Wen where to buy geese, and Ge Yue and Lin Chengqian suggested they all go eat at the farm restaurant that evening.
• The group drove to Ma Bingjun’s restaurant, where Shi Wen asked about buying goslings and learned that the current batch had already been reserved.
• Ma Bingjun offered to help after mistaking Shi Wen for Professor Yan’s friend, and Shi Wen admitted they knew each other while Gong Jiang reassured Ma Bingjun.

Shi Wen bought thirty goslings from Ma Bingjun and began settling them into the ranch while tending his sheep and planning a backyard vegetable patch. When Heiwa barked a warning from the pasture, Shi Wen rushed outside with a hoe to find out what had happened.

• Ma Bingjun offered Shi Wen unsorted goslings, and Shi Wen chose thirty lively ones to buy.
• Shi Wen brought the goslings home and kept them in the livestock shed while training Heiwa not to pounce on them.
• Shi Wen checked the sheep, led them out to graze with Heiwa, and left the puppy to watch them.
• Shi Wen began clearing shrubs and stones from the fertile backyard so he could grow vegetables.
• Heiwa barked a warning from the pasture, and Shi Wen ran outside with a hoe.

Shi Wen hosted Fu Meng and veterinarian Sikewell, who vaccinated and ear-tagged his flock of thirty-seven sheep. Sikewell still needed to register the animals and warned Shi Wen to watch their tags for injuries.

• Shi Wen welcomed Fu Meng and Sikewell into his pasture after learning Sikewell had come to vaccinate and tag the village livestock.
• Heiwa helped the men herd the sheep to the livestock shed, impressing Fu Meng and Sikewell with his skill.
• Shi Wen praised Heiwa and fed him meat morsels for helping with the flock.
• Sikewell explained the government-provided vaccine and ear tags, then vaccinated and tagged all thirty-seven sheep with help from Shi Wen and Fu Meng.
• Sikewell said he still needed to register the sheep and warned Shi Wen to treat any torn ears promptly.

Shi Wen finished preparing part of his backyard for vegetables and visited Fu Meng to collect local seeds and seedlings. Fu Meng also invited him to the cattle and sheep bazaar on the twenty-first, where he could look for cattle to raise.

• Shi Wen completed the sheep registration with Fu Meng and Sikewell, then learned that Fu Meng could provide local vegetable seeds and seedlings.
• Shi Wen cleared more than half a mu of backyard land and rode to Fu Meng's house with gifts for his family.
• Chang Qingqing welcomed Shi Wen and went to gather spare vegetable seeds and seedlings for him.
• Fu Meng served Shi Wen homemade salty milk tea and told him that the village planned to visit the big cattle and sheep bazaar on the twenty-first.
• Shi Wen agreed to go, and Fu Meng offered to help transport any cattle he bought back to his home.

Shi Wen planted vegetable seedlings and traveled with Fu Meng to a large cattle and sheep bazaar, hoping to buy livestock despite his limited savings. He found a promising but aggressive heifer and watched its owner refuse to lower the asking price.

• Chang Qingqing gave Shi Wen a basket of vegetable seedlings, and he planted them in his backyard.
• Shi Wen counted his savings and worried that his remaining funds might not be enough to make his livestock venture profitable.
• Fu Meng drove Shi Wen and other villagers to the cattle and sheep bazaar before dawn.
• Shi Wen searched the cattle section but found the animals he could afford unsuitable and the ones he liked poor value.
• A young heifer bit a man who had approached it, and Shi Wen inspected the animal as its owner insisted on a price of eight thousand yuan.

Shi Wen bought a docile heifer and an injured dairy cow at the bazaar, then brought both back to his ranch. He began isolating them in separate sheds, but the heifer refused to enter hers.

• Shi Wen examined the old man's bad-tempered heifer, found her docile with him, and bought her for eight thousand.
• Shi Wen inspected a scrawny dairy cow injured while giving birth and bought her for nine thousand after judging she might recover.
• Fu Meng and another traveler helped transport the two cows back to Shi Wen's ranch, where he learned the old man had sold the heifer to help fund his youngest granddaughter's dowry.
• Shi Wen planned to isolate the cows in separate sheds, but the heifer braced herself at the entrance and refused to go inside.
• Shi Wen tied the heifer to a nearby railing and went to fetch rapeseed cake and cut grass for both cows.

Shi Wen fed and named the two cows Good Temper and Big One, then began cleaning their pen. When Heiwa barked furiously at something outside and Shi Wen detected a faint smell of blood, he called the police; after they arrived, he realized an animal had been injured.

• Shi Wen carried fresh grass and rapeseed cake into the cattle shed, where Heiwa challenged Good Temper before the cow was distracted by the food.
• Shi Wen named the cows Good Temper and Big One, then started thoroughly cleaning and disinfecting their pen.
• Heiwa barked at something outside the shed, and Shi Wen heard a distant cry and smelled faint blood.
• Shi Wen called the police, shut the cattle shed door, and waited with Heiwa until help arrived.
• Shi Wen went out with Heiwa and saw police gathered on the road; the stronger blood and musky scents convinced him the injured party was an animal.

Shi Wen joined the police at the scene of an injured goitered gazelle and helped calm it while it was treated. Afterward, Yan Kexing gave him a mint, leaving Shi Wen surprised by its intense taste.

• Shi Wen arrived with Heiwa and told the police he had called after smelling blood at the ranch.
• Shi Wen recognized Yan Kexing and saw that a male goitered gazelle had suffered severe injuries to its hindquarters.
• Shi Wen learned Gong Jiang was helping the police collect samples and treat the gazelle.
• When the gazelle struggled during bandaging, Shi Wen held and soothed it until it calmed down.
• The police bandaged the gazelle, moved it into a cage, and photographed it while Shi Wen stepped back.
• Yan Kexing returned Heiwa's leash and gave Shi Wen a mint, which surprised Shi Wen with its strong, cool taste.