Beauty and the Beasts

“Nice skills, Youth.”

After Parker successfully summoned the leopard, a 17 to 18-year-old youth made an obeisance by cupping one hand in the other before one’s chest. His mannerisms of a swordsman made the passengers burst into laughter.

Parker didn’t get the youth’s humor. Recalling a similar scenario in a television drama, he made that same cupping gesture back at the youth and said, “Oh, it’s nothing. I’m flattered.”

The tourist vehicle stopped. The leopard stood ten meters away from the vehicle and stared at Parker.

Wanting to take a closer look, the other passengers imitated Parker, and the tourist vehicle was instantly filled with weird-sounding wild shrieks and howls.

The tour guide got to his feet and said sternly, “Please stop shouting. This will agitate the wild animals and make them behave aggressively.”

The leopard didn’t come over, but the passengers were intimidated by the threat and the weird noises slowly grew weaker.

One passenger asked in a doubtful tone, “Why do we need to be careful when we are in the vehicle? Isn’t this barbed wire solid enough? We’ll be in danger if we agitate the leopard while inside the tourist vehicle?”

Once this question was raised, horror could be seen in the passengers’ eyes, and they shrunk their heads away from the barbed wire.

The tour guide explained, “Of course not. But we’ve got to guard against accidents. Besides, when the animals scratch the barbed wire, not only does it cause them harm, but it will also affect their emotions. This is why we ask for everyone’s cooperation.”

Everyone relaxed upon hearing the explanation.

The leopard didn’t get near, but its gaze never left the tourist vehicle. If the passengers were observant enough, they would realize that it was staring at the golden-haired youth who howled earlier.

Bai Qingqing reached out a hand from the side of the seat and poked Parker’s waist. She whispered, “Quickly make it go away. It’s been staring at you.”

Parker took the opportunity to grab his spouse’s hand and winked at the leopard outside.

Then, the people in the tourist vehicle witnessed a bizarre scene: that leopard seemed to heave a sigh of relief, after which, it shifted its gaze away.

It started jogging behind the tourist vehicle.

“Hey, don’t go! Awww~” Someone got anxious and ran to the rear end of the tourist vehicle and called out to the leopard.

Bai Qingqing’s gaze also followed the leopard and looked towards the back of the tourist vehicle. Seated in the last row, when she turned around she could see what was going on back there. What she saw caused her to gasp in shock. “Someone’s feeding the leopard!”

The tour guide was alarmed and quickly went to the rear end.

So it turned out a car was following behind them. A fist-sized gap was opened in the driver’s seat window, and a bloody piece of raw meat was hanging outside.

The leopard walked to a spot two meters away from the car and seemingly didn’t dare to go any closer, only staring at the meat from a distance.

Hence, the car window lowered a little, even revealing half an arm, dangling the piece of meat to entice the leopard.

The tour guide also gasped in shock and blurted out, “This fellow is courting death.”

She turned her head and glanced at the driver. The driver quickly honked the horn. Due to the angles, the nearby patrolling vehicles only noticed the abnormal actions of that car at this moment. They, too, honked their horns.

Bai Qingqing had wanted to keep watching, but Curtis turned her head back and whispered, “Stop looking. This guy’s dead meat.”

Startled, she was about to say something to Parker, when she heard cries of agony from behind.

The leopard first cautiously walked to the car window with his gaze riveted upon that piece of meat. Then, it suddenly stood up on its hind limbs and swiftly bit that man’s hand.

“Ahhhhh!!!” Cries of agony rang out from that car.

That man obviously wanted to retract his hand, but his wrist had been completely severed by the bite. The bone was broken, and one could even see the skin and the flesh. The intense pain caused that man to lose his senses. Grabbing whatever was next to him, he actually lowered the car window till it was half-opened and haphazardly hit the leopard’s head with the thing in his hand.

The leopard closed its eyes from all that beating. Though its body was nearly the length of an adult man, it had a tiny head and easily managed to stick its head into the car.