The night after the Heavenly Investigation Bureau left Green Paradise Zoo was unusually quiet.
Too quiet.
Normally, the zoo never truly slept.
Somewhere, monkeys argued over sleeping spots.
The wolves howled at the moon.
The peacocks occasionally screamed for no apparent reason, giving every night guard a miniature heart attack.
Tonight…
Nothing.
Even the wind seemed reluctant to move.
Arjun Mehra stood outside the panda enclosure with a broom in one hand and a flashlight in the other.
He looked at Bruno.
Bruno looked back.
The panda was happily chewing bamboo as if he hadn’t nearly demolished an abandoned hospital two hours earlier.
“You know,” Arjun sighed, “most people apologize after destroying public property.”
Bruno tilted his head.
“I did.”
“You said ‘oops.'”
“…That was an emotional apology.”
Arjun couldn’t even argue with that logic anymore.
Ever since receiving the mysterious system, reality itself seemed determined to challenge his sanity.
He had an ancient demon general hiding inside the zoo.
A possible Fox Queen pretending to be an ordinary businesswoman.
A government organization investigating supernatural incidents.
And above all…
A panda that apparently used to command armies.
His life had officially become impossible.
The familiar blue screen suddenly appeared before his eyes.
DAILY MAIN QUEST
Welcome the New Resident
Mission Description:
A new resident will arrive at Green Paradise Zoo before sunrise.
Escort the resident safely to its enclosure.
Success Rewards:
500 Years of Cultivation
Spirit Beast Communication Lv.2
Mystery Treasure Chest
Failure:
The resident escapes.
Consequences Unknown.
Arjun frowned.
“That’s it?”
Yes.
“You’re not going to tell me what the new resident actually is?”
Spoilers reduce the sense of adventure.
“…You’ve been spending too much time on the internet.”
The system remained proudly silent.
Just then, footsteps echoed along the stone pathway.
Aisha approached, carrying two steaming paper cups.
She had changed out of her business suit and was now wearing a simple white hoodie and jeans.
Without the formal attire, she looked much younger.
More approachable.
Less like a mysterious executive.
She held out one of the cups.
“Coffee?”
Arjun accepted it.
“…Thanks.”
“You look exhausted.”
“I spent the evening convincing a panda not to declare war.”
She smiled.
“I’ve stopped asking whether you’re joking.”
“Good choice.”
For a few moments, neither of them spoke.
The silence wasn’t awkward.
It was…
comfortable.
A cool breeze rustled the bamboo leaves behind them.
Bruno watched the two humans with narrowed eyes.
“Hmm…”
Arjun immediately noticed.
“What?”
Bruno pointed a bamboo stick toward Aisha.
“Keeper.”
“Yes?”
“I like Queen.”
Aisha blinked.
“…Queen?”
Bruno quickly corrected himself.
“I mean…”
He scratched his head.
“Pretty Human.”
Arjun buried his face in one hand.
“Bruno…”
“What?”
“Please don’t call people Queen.”
“But—”
“No.”
The panda lowered his head dramatically.
“…Fine.”
Aisha laughed softly.
“I think he’s adorable.”
The system violently disagreed.
SYSTEM CORRECTION
Species Identified: Heavenly Bear Emperor
Classification:
Ancient Calamity-Class Spirit Beast
Adorable Rating:
0%
Arjun looked at the message.
Then at Bruno.
Who was currently rolling down a grassy slope after dropping his bamboo.
“…Your database is broken.”
Negative.
“It literally says Bruno isn’t adorable.”
Correct.
“I refuse to believe that.”
Host Judgment Flagged as Emotionally Biased.
“…Rude.”
Aisha looked at him curiously.
“Who are you arguing with this time?”
“The customer support department.”
“…Customer support?”
“For life.”
She stared for several seconds before shaking her head with a laugh.
“I’ve decided not to question your metaphors anymore.”
Before Arjun could reply, a loud engine rumbled from the zoo entrance.
Both of them turned.
A large transport truck slowly drove through the main gate.
The company logo on its side read:
KAPOOR WILDLIFE CONSERVATION
“Arjun!”
“I’m coming!”
The truck stopped near the quarantine enclosure.
Several workers climbed out before opening the reinforced cargo container.
Arjun expected to see a tiger.
Perhaps a leopard.
Maybe even a bear.
Instead…
The inside was completely dark.
One of the workers frowned.
“That’s strange.”
Another worker stepped closer.
“It was making noise a minute ago.”
A heavy silence settled over the area.
Then…
A low growl echoed from inside the container.
It wasn’t loud.
But every animal in the zoo reacted instantly.
The wolves began howling.
The birds exploded into flight.
Even Bruno stopped chewing.
His relaxed expression vanished.
The panda slowly stood up.
Golden light briefly flickered deep within his eyes.
Varkhaz, who had been watching from the shadows of a nearby tree, suddenly appeared beside Arjun.
“My lord…”
His usually calm voice had become tense.
“That presence…”
Arjun felt a chill run down his spine.
“What is it?”
Varkhaz didn’t answer immediately.
Instead, he stared at the dark cargo container with an expression Arjun had never seen before.
Recognition.
Mixed with disbelief.
Then the system erupted.
EMERGENCY IDENTIFICATION
New Resident Detected
Identity Scan…
1%…
12%…
31%…
WARNING!
Database Conflict Detected!
Multiple Identities Found!
The loading screen froze.
For the first time…
The system couldn’t decide what it was looking at.
Inside the pitch-black container…
Two glowing crimson eyes slowly opened.
And they were staring directly at Arjun.
The crimson eyes remained fixed on Arjun.
Not blinking.
Not moving.
Simply watching him from the darkness inside the transport container.
The workers exchanged uneasy glances.
One of them forced a laugh.
“Probably just nervous.”
Another nodded.
“Yeah…
happens during transportation.”
Neither of them sounded convinced.
Director Wang adjusted his glasses before walking toward the container.
“Everyone, step back.
Let’s not frighten the animal.”
The workers obeyed immediately.
Arjun took a slow breath.
Something felt wrong.
It wasn’t just the eerie silence or the strange pressure hanging in the air.
It was Bruno.
The panda had stopped chewing bamboo.
For the first time since Arjun had met him, Bruno looked completely serious.
His ears were perked forward.
His shoulders were tense.
Even his normally playful eyes had become sharp.
Arjun quietly stepped beside him.
“Bruno.”
The panda didn’t look away from the container.
“…Danger.”
That single word sent a chill down Arjun’s spine.
The system appeared again.
HOST WARNING
The Heavenly Bear Emperor’s instincts have activated.
Recommendation:
Trust the Bear Emperor.
“So it really is dangerous…”
Extremely.
Before Arjun could ask another question, the heavy metal door of the transport container slowly creaked open.
Creeeeak…
A cold gust of wind swept across the loading area.
Dust swirled into the air.
Then…
A large black wolf stepped out.
It was magnificent.
Its silver-gray fur shimmered beneath the moonlight, while a streak of black ran from its forehead to the tip of its tail.
It stood almost as tall as Bruno.
Its golden eyes calmly observed everyone around it.
The workers immediately relaxed.
“Oh!”
“It’s just the Arctic wolf.”
“I knew there was nothing to worry about.”
Director Wang smiled.
“Beautiful…”
Only Arjun, Bruno, Aisha, and Varkhaz remained tense.
The system suddenly froze.
Its blue interface flickered violently.
ERROR…
ERROR…
SPECIES CONFLICT DETECTED
Identity One:
Arctic Wolf
Probability: 51%
Identity Two:
Moon-Devouring Heavenly Wolf
Probability: 49%
Arjun frowned.
“What?”
The percentages shifted.
52%.
48%.
Then…
49%.
51%.
The numbers continued changing every second.
The system had never failed to identify anything before.
Bruno narrowed his eyes.
The wolf slowly turned toward him.
The atmosphere became unbearably heavy.
Director Wang clapped happily.
“They’re making friends already!”
Arjun almost corrected him.
Then decided ignorance was healthier.
The wolf suddenly lowered its head toward Bruno.
Bruno responded with the slightest nod.
A greeting.
Not between ordinary animals.
Between equals.
The system reacted immediately.
HISTORICAL RECORD DETECTED
The Heavenly Bear Emperor
Meeting
The Moon-Devouring Heavenly Wolf
Historical Relationship:
Unknown
Varkhaz quietly stepped beside Arjun.
“My lord…”
“Don’t call me that.”
“…They’re greeting each other.”
“I noticed.”
“No…”
The demon swallowed.
“They’re confirming whether the other remembers.”
Arjun looked toward the wolf.
“Remembers what?”
“The past.”
Before Varkhaz could answer, the wolf slowly walked toward Arjun.
One step.
Then another.
The workers smiled.
“What a gentle animal.”
“It likes him already.”
“Looks like Arjun has a talent with animals.”
Arjun wished that were true.
His instincts screamed at him to run.
Instead, he stood perfectly still.
The wolf stopped less than a meter away.
It sniffed the air.
Its golden eyes suddenly widened.
For one impossible moment…
Sadness flashed across them.
Then it lowered itself onto one knee.
Or rather…
As close to kneeling as a wolf possibly could.
Bruno gasped.
Varkhaz immediately bowed his head.
Even Aisha felt her heartbeat quicken.
The wolf spoke in a voice that only Arjun, Bruno, Varkhaz, and Aisha could hear.
“…Keeper.”
Arjun closed his eyes.
“Not again…”
The wolf tilted its head.
“…You have forgotten.”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
The wolf looked at him quietly.
Then its gaze shifted toward Aisha.
For a brief moment, its eyes softened.
“…My Queen.”
Aisha froze.
“No…”
The word escaped her lips almost instinctively.
A sharp pain suddenly shot through her head.
She staggered backward.
Arjun caught her before she could fall.
“Aisha!”
She pressed both hands against her temples.
“I…”
Images flashed before her eyes.
A moonlit palace.
A vast silver forest.
A giant wolf sleeping beneath an ancient tree.
Someone laughing.
Someone calling her…
“Your Majesty.”
The vision vanished.
Aisha gasped for breath.
“I’ve…”
She looked at the wolf.
“I’ve seen you before.”
The wolf closed its eyes.
“…At last.”
The system exploded with notifications.
MEMORY SYNCHRONIZATION
Fox Queen Recovery:
0.005%
Keeper Recovery:
0.03%
At that exact moment—
A loud electronic beep echoed through the loading area.
Everyone turned.
One of the Bureau’s surveillance drones hovered high above the zoo.
Its camera lens glowed red.
A calm mechanical voice echoed from the speaker.
“Unidentified spiritual fluctuation detected.”
Another drone appeared.
Then another.
Within seconds, six drones surrounded the quarantine enclosure.
The workers looked around in confusion.
Director Wang frowned.
“What are those doing here?”
Varkhaz’s expression darkened.
“The Bureau…”
Bruno cracked his knuckles.
The wolf slowly raised its head.
The system turned crimson.
MAIN QUEST UPDATED
Protect the Moon-Devouring Heavenly Wolf
Secondary Objective:
Prevent the Heavenly Investigation Bureau from discovering its true identity.
Failure Consequences:
Mission Failure
Global Exposure
The Fake Demon Realm will accelerate its awakening.
Bright searchlights suddenly illuminated the entire enclosure.
A familiar female voice rang out through a loudspeaker.
“Arjun Mehra.”
Inspector Meera Sen stepped out from the shadows, flanked by dozens of Bureau agents.
Her expression was calm.
But her eyes never left the kneeling wolf.
“This time…”
She slowly drew the black sword from her back.
“I’d like honest answers.”
Behind her, every Bureau agent activated their spiritual weapons at once.
And above them…
The six surveillance drones locked onto Arjun like predators closing in on their prey.
To Be Continue….