My Items Have an Upgrade Panel - Chapter 203

Chapter 203: Giant Panda: Listen to Me, Thank You…
Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation
Upon their arrival at Jiuzhaigou, the pair were immediately filled with regret.
Their intention had been to immerse themselves in the natural beauty, not to be engulfed by a sea of tourists.
The area was swarming with visitors. What beauty could be appreciated in such chaos?
“Perhaps we should consider a different location?” Tang Rui suggested to Li Shuyao as he surveyed the teeming masses. His concern wasn’t one of safety.
It was simply the tedium of it all.
What joy was there in viewing nature through a throng of bodies?
No matter the splendor of the landscape, it was obscured by the crowd.
“Indeed, it’s overly crowded. We might try returning post-holiday,” Li Shuyao concurred, her gaze sweeping over the throngs of people.
Her curiosity to explore was strong.
Yet, under these circumstances, it was far from ideal.
Departing Jiuzhaigou, their next destination was uncertain.
“How about we visit the pandas instead?” Li Shuyao proposed with a spark of excitement after consulting her phone’s guide.
“That sounds wonderful. Let’s go see the pandas,” Tang Rui responded, his own excitement kindled by the idea.
Indeed.
Why hadn’t he thought of visiting the pandas over Jiuzhaigou?
“Gao Yang, let’s head to the Giant Panda Base.”
“Alright.”
With Gao Yang at the wheel, they activated the navigation and set off towards the Giant Panda Base.
Leaving Jiuzhaigou behind, they merged onto the highway.
A sudden thought struck Tang Rui, and he deployed the drone from their RV to survey the surrounding forests.
He was well aware of the news reports.
They claimed that the mountainous regions of Shu Du were home to numerous wild giant pandas.
The internet humorously suggested that in Sichuan’s rural areas, giant pandas were as common as household pets, with children riding them to school.
Though clearly a jest, the presence of wild giant pandas in these mountains was a fact, making their decision a sound one, albeit their numbers were not as exaggerated.
As the drone’s battery neared depletion, Tang Rui had yet to spot any wild giant pandas. Not a single pheasant, let alone a panda, had appeared.
The drone’s scanning system was also failing.
Tang Rui instructed Hong Lian to pilot the drone back and scan the mountainous forest area.
Different equipment, different results.
Once the drone arrived, it activated its light quantum information capture system and immediately identified several wild giant pandas.
Tang Rui examined the map markers.
They selected a panda that was accessible via the best road conditions and closest to their location and directed Gao Yang to drive there.
Over an hour later, The RV pulled into a mountain village.
“Where’s the giant panda?” Li Shuyao inquired as she stepped out of the vehicle, scanning the area to no avail.
“Follow me,” Tang Rui beckoned, leading Li Shuyao, with Gao Yang and two multifunctional robots in tow, towards the mountain’s rear.
Ascending less than 700 meters along the mountain path.
They encountered a giant panda near a bamboo grove.
It was fully grown.
However…
Its cleanliness left much to be desired.
The white fur had taken on a yellowish hue.
“Red Lotus, take control,” Tang Rui instructed.
“Understood, Master. 1 am on it,” the robot affirmed.
The robots approached the bewildered panda and restrained it.
The panda, unaccustomed to such encounters, bellowed in protest, struggling to break free but to no avail.
The robots, each weighing over 320 kilograms, had firmly secured the panda’s limbs, rendering its struggles futile.
Observing the subdued panda, Tang Rui approached.
“I haven’t eaten in over twenty days. Even if I were to roast you, I’d be fine. Do you understand why?”
“This is a matter of survival.”
Tang Rui spoke to the panda with a sly grin.
He had no need to play the hero.
H H
The panda was dumbfounded
This human was unlike any it had encountered before. Not only did he not offer sustenance, but he also instilled fear.
“Enough with the jokes. Why have you had Red Lotus capture it?” Li Shuyao chided Tang Rui lightly.
“To keep one as a pet,” Tang Rui confessed his intentions.
What was the harm in capturing a giant panda?
Even if he were to capture eight or ten, the authorities would likely turn a blind eye.
At worst, he would establish another giant panda breeding center within his company. Releasing the panda was out of the question.
Despite the panda’s status as a national treasure, it paled in comparison to his own stature.
“Are you seriously considering keeping a giant panda?” Li Shuyao was at a loss for words.
Such an act would be unthinkable for anyone else.
But for Tang Rui, a permit for panda breeding could probably be expedited and delivered by the afternoon.
“I am contemplating it, though I’d prefer to rear two cubs rather than this adult. But now that we’ve caught it, releasing it seems wasteful,” Tang Rui mused with a frown.
“And how do you plan to care for them?”
“I’m not sure yet. I’ll download some information and leave the care to Red Lotus. We’ll just enjoy their company in our leisure time.”
While they deliberated over the care of the giant panda, Gao Yang remained alert, his focus on the surroundings.
The responsibility of rearing a giant panda was not his concern.
His duty was to ensure Tang Rui’s safety.
Should the panda pose any threat to Tang Rui, he would not hesitate to neutralize it.
“What is happening here?”
At that moment, a middle-aged man took in the scene and called out to Tang Rui and his companions.
Ah!
How should they respond?
Could they really say they were capturing a giant panda to take home as a pet?
“Are you folks from a research institute?”
The man approached, and upon seeing the robots holding the panda, he switched to Mandarin, seeking an explanation..