It was yet another crystal-clear, sunny day. Previously, out of concern for Cedriel's wounds, Liang He had only wiped his fur daily with a damp towel. However, compared to a proper bath, it was far from enough. So, while the weather was still warm, she planned to give both Cedriel and Lanton a bath.
As for Little Nian Gao and Little Sesame, since they hadn't even reached their one-month mark, they dodged a bullet.
"This is the perfect chance to record a video of bathing the fluffballs and post it on the Star Network. The netizens have been constantly urging for an update, and it would be rude to keep ignoring them," Liang He murmured.
She glanced around the Service Area before finally deciding to commandeer the fountain pool, which was originally intended as a decorative landscape feature. The pool was just the right size, there was a faucet nearby, and a drain at the bottom of the basin—everything was absolutely perfect.
"Thank goodness I cleaned out the fountain yesterday. Otherwise, by the time I finished prepping and started bathing them, the sun would probably already be setting."
The equipment in the Service Area was top-notch. Even the outdoor faucets could dispense hot water, completely eliminating any worry about the animals catching a cold from a freezing bath.
"Cedriel, time for a bath!"
As a Mojin King Tiger, he naturally loved playing in the water, so Cedriel didn't resist the bath at all. He obediently padded into the pool, allowing the warm water to cascade over his body. Lanton, on the other hand, was watching from the sidelines. He cautiously dipped one talon into the water, only to retract it instantly. Flapping his wings, he flew straight up into a tree, absolutely refusing to come down no matter what.
But since it wasn't his turn yet anyway, Liang He wasn't in a hurry to coax him down.
"Tsk, tsk, Liang He really is something. To think she actually dares to bathe the Marshal now."
Before Liang He arrived, no one had ever been able to get close to Cedriel and the others, let alone attempt something as difficult as bathing them. They had always just rolled around in wild rivers on their own and dried off in the sun.
"And the kicker is, the Marshal actually listens to her. He's just standing there motionless. Isn't that infuriating?"
"Alright, stop comparing yourself to Liang He. You'll just die of anger, thank you very much."
"By the way, the Commander flying up into the tree and being absolutely terrified of getting into the water is hilarious."
Naturally, the staff in the control room wouldn't miss Liang He's major undertaking. This was their daily entertainment, a spectacle that simply couldn't be skipped.
"Cedriel, stand here and don't move."
After connecting a long hose to the faucet, Liang He gently pinched the nozzle so the water pressure wouldn't be too harsh. She slowly soaked Cedriel's thick fur, making sure it was completely drenched all the way to the roots before finally turning off the water. She whipped up a lather with a specialized body wash, then used the professional equipment she had brought from Blue Star to spray it all over his body. In an instant, the originally golden Mojin King Tiger was reduced to a single golden head, while the rest of his body—even his paws—was completely covered in snow-white foam.
"AWOO!"
Cedriel instinctively wanted to shake his head and body, but Liang He anticipated the move and immediately ordered him to stop.
"Cedriel, no shaking!"
"Awoo?" The confused Mojin King Tiger obediently froze. He innocently tilted his large head, thinking he had somehow made Liang He unhappy.
"Awoo..."
"Alright, be a good boy. I didn't mean to yell at you." Seeing his pitiful expression, Liang He's heart softened. She gently patted his head and patiently explained, regardless of whether he could understand her or not.
As she spoke, she put on her grooming gloves and, using the suds, began scrubbing Cedriel down. Although the Mojin King Tiger was a short-haired breed, the downy undercoat at the roots tangled easily and required patient combing. She also had to wash away all the loose fur. Because of Cedriel's massive size, this single step took nearly an hour.
"Phew... finally done."
Taking off her gloves, her hands were sweaty from the stifling heat, and her fingertips were wrinkled and pale from the water. Glancing at the pile of discarded fur off to the side, Liang He felt a strong sense of accomplishment.
"Alright, now I just need to rinse you off and blow-dry you, and we'll be good to go."
Turning the faucet back on, Liang He started rinsing the foam off the Mojin King Tiger. Cedriel, having thoroughly enjoyed his spa treatment, thought he had finally been freed from the 'wooden tiger' game and began to shake slightly.
"Ah!"
Splashed with dirty bathwater, Liang He instinctively raised her arms to block it. However, the hose was still running, and in her distraction, she ended up spraying Lanton right out of the tree.
"SCREECH!"
His previously light and airy feathers were instantly soaked. The Canglan Hunting Eagle nearly tumbled from his branch. Left with no other choice, he glided down to a lower altitude, only to be completely splashed again when Cedriel shook himself dry.
He didn't dare get angry at Liang He, but he certainly wouldn't tolerate Cedriel. Lanton aggressively flapped his soaking-wet wings, slapping Cedriel across the face several times.
"AWOO!"
Stunned by the slaps, Cedriel refused to back down. He quickly tangled with Lanton in a back-and-forth scuffle, instantly transforming the makeshift bathtub into a raucous play pool.
Forced to join the fray, Liang He had no choice but to wield the hose and launch indiscriminate attacks. Before long, she found herself swept up in the water fight with them. Her silvery laughter instantly filled that corner of the Service Area. It wasn't until a light breeze blew past that Liang He shivered, suddenly feeling a bit cold, and snapped out of her playful trance.
"Alright! Enough playing around, hurry up and come inside with me!"
Turning off the water, Liang He completely ignored the fact that the Canglan Hunting Eagle still hadn't gotten his actual bath. She hurried them all back indoors. The sudden increase in temperature finally soothed her chill.
Since she hadn't blow-dried their fur and feathers yet, Liang He quickly changed into dry clothes and immediately began the finishing work. By the time she finally managed to dry off both the tiger and the eagle, she was so exhausted that her back ached, and she collapsed onto the floor.
"Phew... I definitely overestimated myself."
Bathing large Beast Beasts was so exhausting for a Breeder!
GRUMBLE GRUMBLE.
The moment she rested, Liang He heard her own stomach rumbling. Not even wanting to lift a finger, she ultimately opted for a foul-tasting but filling nutrient solution.
"Poor Liang He, she's actually resorting to drinking a nutrient solution. She must be exhausted," someone in the control room commented.
"This won't do. The chef and cafeteria staff need to get here immediately. We absolutely cannot mistreat our hardworking Breeder!"
"She was so afraid that the Marshal and the Commander would catch a cold that she completely ignored her own comfort and dried them first. It's too touching, sob."
Having filled her stomach, Liang He cuddled up against the fragrant and soft Mojin King Tiger and drifted off to sleep, completely forgetting to prepare their food.
However, Cedriel didn't move or remind her. Instead, he waited until Liang He was fast asleep before quietly leaping off the bed. Teaming up with Lanton, they opened the door once again and headed out to hunt. This time, though, the Canglan Hunting Eagle didn't go all the way with him. Instead, he stayed behind to guard the door and wait for the Mojin King Tiger to return, preventing a situation where they'd be locked out and caught by Liang He for sneaking out.
"Awoo..."
About an hour later, Cedriel returned to the Service Area with his freshly caught prey. Giving a soft growl to signal Lanton to clear the way, the tiger and eagle worked together to drag the carcass into a corner of the animal dormitory.
Because he was anxious to get back, Cedriel hadn't eaten first; instead, he chose to enjoy dinner together with Lanton. Fearing they might wake Liang He, they kept the sounds of tearing and swallowing exceptionally quiet. It wasn't until the prey was completely devoured that they each wiped their mouths, groomed their fur and feathers, and returned to Liang He's side, pretending everything was exactly as it had been.
"Good heavens, look at that tacit understanding. I feel like they didn't even coordinate this well back on the battlefield."
"Alright, stop slacking off. The zone director specifically instructed us to step up patrols before he left; we can't afford to be careless."
"Bad news! Emergency alert! An unidentified intruder has been detected and is approaching the Seventh Service Area!"
In the darkness, piercing tiger eyes and sharp eagle eyes snapped open instantly, flashing with a dangerous glint as they locked onto the front door.