"We're here, thank you, Master," I said.
"Wait, Mr. Wu, I'll refund your fare!" the driver said. I had already paid him when we set off.
"No need. Like you said, I'm not a rich man, why would I care about such a small fare? You've had a hard time driving this late at night. Take this money, find a decent hotel in Lvyuan City, rest for a night, and go back tomorrow morning. I'll be at ease. If something happens to you driving at night, how can I explain it to Miss Qian?" I joked.
"Alright, alright, I'll do as Mr. Wu says and find a hotel to sleep in!"
"Bye," I waved.
After Driver Lao Qian turned around and left, people in the forest ranger's cabin heard the commotion and came out. They were holding a pickaxe handle and a flashlight, asking me vigilantly, "What are you here for?"
"My pet fox is lost! Someone saw it run into your mountains, and I've come to find it!" I made up a reason.
"The mountains are closed for winter now, no entry. Go back."
"That won't do. I've raised that fox for over twenty years; she's like my own sister. In this cold winter, if I don't find her, won't she starve to death in the mountains?"
"Just a fox... Wait, where did you get this fox? Don't tell me you caught it on the mountain! Those things are protected animals in Yanxia!" The ranger frowned, seeming quite knowledgeable.
"Don't worry, I bought her from a farm. She's a purebred hybrid fox, and I have a pet license!" I said. I actually knew this because foxes are canids, so in some cities that require pet licenses, pet foxes are issued licenses that are also called dog licenses.
They just add a parenthetical note at the end specifying the fox's breed, just like with other dogs, which would be noted as Golden Retriever, Poodle, Husky, etc. For foxes, it would be "Arctic Fox, Red Fox, Bat-eared Fox, Grey Fox, Island Fox, Platinum Fox, Pearl Fox, Amber Fox," and so on. There are many varieties.
"Then... did you bring any fire starters?" the ranger asked.
"I did." I took out the lighter and cigarettes from my pocket and handed them over. Then I turned out my other pockets, indicating I had no other fire starters.
"You're alone? There are wolves and things on this mountain. I'm worried about you. I'll accompany you to search." The ranger, seeing me slip a pack of soft Zhonghua cigarettes into his quilted jacket pocket, thought I was making a generous bribe and gladly accepted, even offering to help.
"No, really, no need. I raise dogs, I'm not afraid of wolves," I said.
"Alright then, be careful. If you encounter any danger, you can call me. My phone number is..."
I pretended to use my phone to record his number, but in reality, I was sending my location to the fox spirit, asking her to drive over and pick me up.
After bidding farewell to the ranger, I entered the forest. The wind was blowing at night, rustling through the pines, creating an eerie, mournful sound. Fortunately, I had the Qi Sensing technique, so I wasn't afraid. There were no large animals around. I could roughly judge the scent of wolves; it should be similar to that of dogs and foxes.
Besides, with my current strength, I wasn't afraid of wolves!
About twenty minutes later, I sensed the fox spirit's presence, driving quickly onto the dirt road. I glanced back at the ranger's direction and saw he was still outside the cabin. I decided to play along to avoid arousing his suspicion.
I called the fox spirit and asked her to park the car on the main road, then transform into a fox, circle around the cabin, and meet me on the mountain. This would provide a logical reason for me to be heading into the mountains.
The fox spirit agreed.
Three minutes later, the fox spirit approached me from the side, appearing in her demonic form.
"Who told you to become so big!" I frowned. She had misunderstood me and transformed into a nine-tailed white fox as tall as a horse. "A normal size is fine, otherwise, I won't be able to carry you."
"Awoo," the fox spirit yelped and changed back into a regular reddish-brown fox.
I briefly explained why I had asked her to come, saying I was looking for my pet fox. The fox spirit nodded. I opened my arms, and she leaped into my embrace, acting pitiful and scared, whimpering softly.
"...Your acting is a bit over the top. Just be normal," I said.