Animal Detective

Chapter 169: So What If It’s a Crocodile?

"Aren’t you going in?"

As he was staring, Ding Yuwei suddenly leaned in close and murmured.

Shen Xin leaned back reflexively, his expression a little unnatural. "What do you mean?"

Ding Yuwei looked at Shen Xin with a half-smile. "Weren’t you planning on cracking this case the same way you did the Liu Laibin one? So get in there. Go talk to this..."

She sucked in a sharp breath, clicking her tongue as she commented, "I know it’s a little ugly, but maybe it’s like that crocodile Lyle—not only shy, but it might even sing for you."

Shen Xin stared fixedly at Ding Yuwei and waved a hand dismissively. "Stop messing around."

Sing?

’If this thing could stand up, it’d probably grab me and use me as a microphone.’

"You guessed?"

Shen Xin asked, not without some embarrassment.

Ding Yuwei hummed in agreement. "I guessed the moment you chose this case."

Shen Xin shot back, "Then why didn’t you stop me?"

’If you’d already guessed, you should have said something sooner!’

Ding Yuwei shrugged. "I thought you’d start with some other small animal. I really didn’t expect you to set your sights on them."

She pointed at the pair of crocodiles in the pool, her expression seeming to say, ’Who knew you were this brave?’

Shen Xin leaned against the railing, thought for a moment, and asked, "Do you think it’s feasible?"

Ding Yuwei shook her head. "It’s a long shot. I’ve heard crocodiles are pretty smart, but they’re not like parrots that can learn to talk. You’re not going to teach them how to write, are you? So they can tell you whether or not they swallowed Zhu Guishen."

She lowered her voice for the last part.

Yang Huiqin had gone outside to take care of something.

Shen Xin didn’t say anything.

’Looks like Yuwei just assumes I have an affinity for animals. She has no idea I can actually hear their thoughts.’

Looking at the two motionless crocodiles, Shen Xin gritted his teeth and decided to give it a try.

’They’re just crocodiles, not tigers or lions.’

’With those stubby little legs, is it really going to catch me?’

Shen Xin took off his jacket and tossed it to Ding Yuwei.

"Don’t do anything reckless."

Ding Yuwei quickly grabbed Shen Xin’s arm. "Shen Xin, these are crocodiles. This isn’t a joke."

Shen Xin ignored her and waved to a zookeeper in the distance who was selling frozen chickens.

The man looked to be about thirty, wearing rubber boots, and his matted hair was a bird’s nest.

"I want to go down there and have a look."

Shen Xin said, pointing at the enclosure, figuring the man knew he was a police officer.

Unexpectedly, the guy just nodded and said, "Sure, go on down."

His tone was far too casual.

Ding Yuwei’s eyes widened. "Aren’t you going to stop him?"

Shen Xin nodded subconsciously. ’Exactly! This is incredibly dangerous. Why aren’t you stopping me?’

The young man said, "It’s fine. These two crocs are very docile. Besides, as long as they’re full, they won’t attack people. And you’re a police officer. If you want to take a look, how could I stop you?"

Can’t argue with that last part.

’But that first part was a little unsettling. What does he mean, "as long as they’re full"?’

"So, have you fed them today?" Shen Xin asked back.

The young man nodded. "Don’t worry, they’re stuffed. In this whole park, they’re the most valuable assets. We can be short on feed for anyone else, but not for them."

Shen Xin recalled how, a short while ago, that kid had tossed a frozen chicken right next to the crocodile’s mouth, and it hadn’t even bothered to lift an eyelid.

’Maybe they really are full.’

"I’m going in, then."

Shen Xin vaulted nimbly over the railing, then asked, "By the way, do they have names?"

The young man was taken aback for a second, then shook his head. "Why don’t you give them some?"

’This guy’s pretty interesting.’

Shen Xin didn’t think any more of it and jumped down into the crocodile enclosure.

Not far away, a child tugged on his mother’s hand. "Mommy, how come that man went in there? Won’t the crocodile bite him?"

His mother didn’t answer. She just silently pulled out her phone.

Since he’d already jumped in, Shen Xin decided to be bold and walked straight forward.

He recalled the information on crocodiles he’d looked up yesterday.

Crocodiles were supposedly very territorial, and one article claimed their acceptable safe distance was three meters.

’The person who wrote that article probably didn’t test it themselves.’

’But from three meters away, I feel like even if the crocodile turned to chase me, I’d be fast enough to get away.’

The female crocodile was lying on a patch of sand.

The male, meanwhile, was resting in the muddy grass.

"Shen Xin, be careful!"

Ding Yuwei’s sudden warning from behind made Shen Xin, who was tiptoeing closer, jump in surprise.

Three meters. No more, no less.

Shen Xin crouched down, gazing at the enormous crocodile before him.

Its eyes were closed, and it was perfectly still.

The young man also shouted, "Officer, it’s fine! You can get a little closer. It’s especially docile. We usually use it for performances."

Without daring to turn his head, Shen Xin asked, "What kind of performance? The kind where you stick your head in its mouth?"

He had, in fact, seen some videos online of people interacting with crocodiles, sticking their hands or heads into their open jaws.

’If it can do that kind of show, it must be genuinely docile.’

’Of course, it could also just know the difference between one full meal and being full every meal.’

The young man said, "No way! It’s just poking it with a stick and having it pop a balloon."

After saying that, he grumbled to himself, ’How much would they have to pay me to stick my head in a croc’s mouth?’

Well, Shen Xin wanted to grumble too.

’Just popping a balloon? Big deal.’

But gritting his teeth, Shen Xin moved a little closer.

’Seems like three meters really is the safe distance.’

As he stepped forward again, the crocodile before him reacted immediately, opening its eyes.

Its skin was a mass of bumps, and its eyes were small and yellowish-brown, making them hard to see clearly.

But it moved its head slightly, turning to face him.

Clearly, it had been disturbed.

Shen Xin immediately stopped and just stared at it quietly.

Their eyes met. It didn’t lunge, and Shen Xin couldn’t discern any emotion in its murky eyes.

Most importantly, no icon appeared above its head.

Just then, a frozen chicken landed at Shen Xin’s feet.

It didn’t make much noise landing in the mud, but it still made Shen Xin flinch.

The crocodile opposite him didn’t react.

The young man’s voice came from behind him. "Officer, why don’t you try feeding it something?"

Shen Xin’s eyes went wide.

’You just said it was stuffed, and now you want me to feed it?’

Cursing inwardly, Shen Xin bent down, picked up the frozen chicken, and waved it at the male crocodile in front of him.

It showed no reaction whatsoever.

Just then, Ding Yuwei shouted a hurried warning, "Shen Xin, to your right!"

Shen Xin glanced out of the corner of his eye and finally noticed that the female crocodile, which had been lying in the sand, was now slowly approaching him.

’A pincer attack, is it?’

Shen Xin watched it.

Its steps were slow, and although it was a size smaller, at three meters long, it was still very intimidating.

The male crocodile in front of him still wasn’t reacting, so Shen Xin saw his chance and simply tossed the frozen chicken to the female.

It raised its neck, opened its jaws with precision, and snatched the frozen chicken from the air.

Then, with a few movements of its throat, it swallowed the entire chicken whole.

Throughout the whole process, it just stood there, its murky eyes fixed on Shen Xin.

And just as it swallowed the frozen chicken, an icon abruptly materialized above its head.

Shen Xin almost shouted, ’Holy shit!’

’So what if it’s a crocodile? I’ve still got it handled.’

’With an ability like this, who could say I’m not a Druid?’