Chapter 188 - 147: New Magic

CRASH—BOOM!

Bart once again slammed his shoulder hard against the metal bars, creating a heavy, booming sound. The entire enclosure seemed to shake.

"Alright, alright, I won’t say any more."

Yang Qi knew when to quit while he was ahead and stopped provoking him.

Switching to a calm and concerned tone, he asked, "Is there anything else I can help you with? I’ll definitely help if I can."

Bart panted heavily, his massive chest heaving. He turned his head and shot a disgusted glare at the giant screen still lit up outside, then growled at Yang Qi.

[Get this thing away from me.]

[And don’t let those Two-legged Beasts bother me.]

Hearing this, Yang Qi’s heart settled. He knew the "treatment" was basically a success.

Bart’s obsession with Duke had been battered, overshadowed, and even reversed by the terrifying images of "deformed offspring" and his instinctive repulsion toward "monsters."

He didn’t want to see Duke now. He didn’t even want to mention the matter again. He just wanted to be alone and process this massive psychological shock.

"Okay, I’ll have it taken away right now. I promise no one else will bother you."

Yang Qi readily agreed. Without another word, he turned and walked out of the enclosure with a steady gait.

Outside, he was met with the tense and expectant gazes of the crowd. A relaxed smile appeared on his face as he gave Guo Xiaoyun, Tong Xiaoyue, Zhao Mingfeng, and the others a clear "OK" sign.

"He should be fine now."

"Let him have some quiet time alone to recover. From here on, just feed him normally and keep him under observation."

Yang Qi said, then added, "Oh, right. Get rid of the big screen. Bart really hates watching videos now."

"Alright!"

Zhao Mingfeng was the first to let out a quiet exclamation, a smile spreading across his face. He then turned and directed the staff to carefully move away the giant screen that had performed such "great service," restoring the outer area to its original state.

"Not bad."

Guo Xiaoyun nodded along, his gaze toward Yang Qi full of approval.

Tong Xiaoyue watched Yang Qi with equal satisfaction. The other Zoo leaders and staff present also chimed in, discussing the "video therapy" in low voices.

Lu Gangsheng, who had still been carefully observing Bart inside the enclosure with binoculars, now lowered the device. His face showed a mix of relief and research excitement as he said, "Bart’s mood has indeed started to stabilize. His breathing is steady, and his posture has shifted from anxious and guarded to a relatively relaxed, lying-down position..."

"From a behavioral perspective, that intense visual stimulus, combined with Advisor Yang’s subsequent ’communication,’ successfully triggered a severe cognitive conflict and self-correction."

"He associated his instinctive repulsion for ’deformed offspring’ with his previous abnormal emotional tendencies and negated them. This... hmm, it’s like a ’forced correction’ of his psychological deviation. Remarkable, truly remarkable!"

Hearing Lu Gangsheng’s professional analysis, Yang Qi just smiled without saying a word.

’The resolution of this matter was largely due to luck and Bart’s own degree of "lucidity."’

’One could only say that although Bart was momentarily "infatuated" and swept away by something new, his biological instincts and cognitive foundations hadn’t been twisted to an irreparable point.’

’If it had been another lion or a different beast, it’s hard to say whether this "video stimulation method" would have worked, or if it might have even triggered worse consequences.’

But no matter what, the bizarre crisis at hand was, for now, resolved.

As they were leaving the lion enclosure area, Lu Gangsheng specifically pulled Yang Qi aside, earnestly insisting they add each other as friends on WeChat.

"Advisor Yang, today has been a real eye-opener; I’ve learned so much. Our Yongcheng Zoo also has some experience in the breeding and research of large felines. We must exchange notes more often in the future."

"When you have the chance, you absolutely must come visit our zoo and give us some pointers!"

His words were sincere. He clearly now saw Yang Qi as a peer worth building a deep connection with.

Yang Qi happily agreed.

’This is how you build a network, one connection at a time.’

Lu Gangsheng wasn’t just an expert; he was also the deputy director of a zoo.

’You can never have too many connections like that.’

That evening, Yang Qi checked into the same partner hotel arranged by Red Star Zoo that he had stayed in during his last trip to the Provincial Capital, though he was in a different room this time.

It wasn’t convenient to set up an Array in the hotel room.

Yang Qi simply sat cross-legged in meditation, regulating his breath and circulating his energy. He also took a Qi Condensing Pill to recover the Magical Power he had expended using the Spirit Communication Technique today.

Time flew by during his cultivation.

Just before dawn—

[Mission Complete]

[Reward: Shocking God Technique]

’A new Magic?’

Yang Qi’s spirits lifted, and he immediately checked the description.

[Shocking God Technique]: A mental attack/interference Magic. When cast, it can trigger the target’s deepest primal fears or most unbearable memories, instantly plunging them into a brief, realistic, and terrifying illusion.

Even those with strong willpower will find it difficult to be completely immune. The duration is related to the caster’s Cultivation, the target’s mental strength, and the depth of their obsessions.

"This is good stuff!"

Yang Qi was overjoyed.

’This is far more practical than the other magic techniques I’ve obtained.’

’The Small Transport Technique is convenient, but it can only move small objects, its range is limited, and large movements can easily give me away.’

’The Entanglement Technique is the same.’

’Geng Metal Sword Pointing is powerful, but the wounds it creates are too distinct and would easily attract an investigation.’

’But this Shocking God Technique... it’s perfect for sneak attacks...’

’Ah, no, I mean it’s an excellent tool for handling sudden crises and silently controlling a situation!’

’If I cast it on someone right in front of others, no one except the target would notice anything amiss. They would just think the person suddenly "lost their mind," "saw a ghost," or was "having a psychotic episode."’

’Its stealth and the convenience of dealing with the aftermath far surpass my other magic techniques!’