After hanging up the phone, he called 4399.

"Brother 4399, I want to help Ah Bao get a rare species certification."

Liu Zheng said directly.

"Where are you?"

4399 asked.

"I'm at the clinic."

"Alright, I'll come over later with people from the Biology Administration Bureau, and also hand over the procurement funds to you."

4399 said.

"Great."

After waiting for about half an hour, the roar of a Sphinx was heard outside the door.

He took the Panda and Niu Daji out and saw 4399 getting out of the car with someone.

The person looked very ordinary, the kind you would lose in a crowd, but his face had two very deep and long claw marks, almost dividing his entire head into three sections, making him unforgettable at first sight.

He was wearing a green uniform, with a pattern composed of flowers, lizards, birds, and small fish on the top left corner.

"You must be the legendary Liu Zheng, hello, hello, my surname is Li, you can just call me Lao Li."

The man with the claw marks was very enthusiastic and actively shook hands with Liu Zheng.

"Hello Brother Li, I've heard a lot about you."

Liu Zheng also responded enthusiastically.

"You've heard my story?"

Lao Li asked in surprise.

"No, but your face is full of stories."

He said, looking at the claw marks on Lao Li's face.

"Oh, you mean this?"

Lao Li touched the claw marks on his face.

"This was left when I subdued a two-toed ant beast back then. That beast had a temper as fierce as hell, yet its body was fragile. I went to great lengths to avoid hurting it, and in the end, I almost got myself killed."

He said with lingering fear.

"Brother Li, you're awesome."

Liu Zheng gave a big thumbs up.

"Sigh, that was in my youth, can't do such things now. I'm just handling admin work these days, leaving the meritorious tasks to the young ones."

Lao Li waved his hand.

"By the way, who do you want to get the rare species certification for?"

He asked.

"Ah Bao, come here."

Liu Zheng called over the Panda.

"It's this one."

"I noticed earlier. This panda looks quite nice, big ears, small bird-like eyes, a very round face."

Lao Li surveyed the Panda up and down.

The Panda shivered at his touch, hiding directly behind Liu Zheng.

"Does it qualify for the rare species certification?"

Liu Zheng patted its big head to comfort it, then asked.

"Yes, of course, it qualifies. Pandas are already high-ranking rare species, not to mention it's a reversion to the Iron-eating Beast."

Lao Li, being a professional, recognized the Panda's lineage at first glance.

"Then I'll trouble you, Brother Li, for sparing time to help amidst your busy schedule. A token of appreciation."

He took out a wad of cash, slipping it into Lao Li's pocket with ease.

"We're all on the same side, no need for this, don't let it happen again."

Lao Li feigned anger.

"Understood, understood."

No need again, clearly means do it again.

"Stand still, let me take a photo of you."

Lao Li took out a Polaroid and pointed it at the Panda.

"What is a photo?"

The Panda asked, puzzled.

"It's like a portrait. Don't move, and don't close your eyes. This certification will stay with you for life, and we won't be responsible if you think it's ugly later."

Lao Li reminded.

"Huh?"

The Panda immediately widened its eyes, striking a pose it thought was cool.

"Click!"

A flash and white smoke appeared, as a small Polaroid produced the sound of an old camera.

"Hmm, not bad, except your eyes are too wide open, making you look not very smart."

Lao Li looked at the printed photo and said.

The Panda was indignant but said nothing, baring its teeth behind Liu Zheng's back.

Lao Li ignored it, taking a stamped certification from his pocket, filling in the details, and attaching the photo.

"Done, here you go."

He handed the certification to Liu Zheng.

"Make sure to keep it safe, replacing it is more troublesome than getting it anew. With this certification, the City Hall departments will take some care of you."

"Thank you, Brother Li. By the way, there's something I'd like to ask you about."

Liu Zheng said.

"Go ahead."

"This subordinate of mine is an orphan, not only without parents but also without having seen similar kind. This time it followed me out from the Ten Thousand Great Mountains, hoping to find its kind. Brother Li, you're with the Biology Administration Bureau, well-informed, could you possibly provide some clues?"

He said.

"I know a bit about this, but the answer might disappoint you."

Lao Li said.

"No problem, Brother Li, please go on."

"There are probably over three hundred pandas registered in the Metropolis, originally scattered among residents. But over a hundred years ago, a reversion Iron-eating Beast emerged and gathered them to live together."

"The staff in charge of pandas back then engaged with that panda and deemed it not very dangerous. Since panda gathering made it easier for management, they let it be."

"But decades ago, that staff member found through monitoring that pandas were fighting each other, and all had reverted to Iron-eating Beasts. Some even used powerful abilities like Fatian Xiangdi, and the scene was extremely tragic."

"The staff immediately reported, and the Biology Administration Bureau quickly dispatched troops to suppress. But by the time they arrived, the entire panda group was annihilated, not even a baby panda was left."

Lao Li said.

"There's clearly something wrong here."

Liu Zheng frowned.

He didn't know much about panda habits, but he knew about monkeys.

In monkey tribes, when vying for leader, it's usually the monkey king against the challenger one-on-one. At most, it's a group fight with allies, but it would never turn into an unrestricted brawl among the entire tribe.

Moreover, all pandas reverting to Iron-eating Beasts, this doesn't seem like a natural event at all.

"Exactly, we investigated afterward but found no anomalies. Meanwhile, the staff member was exposed for embezzling, poaching rare animals to consume their blood and selling the carcasses to poachers. He was quickly executed with irrefutable evidence. Coincidentally, the bureau was dealing with a more pressing issue, so most personnel were reassigned, and this case was left unresolved."

Lao Li nodded.

"Too many coincidences don't make a coincidence."

"Indeed, the direct responsible person is dead, unless the investigation is reopened, no one needs to take responsibility. But once someone requests to reopen it, they'd take the blame. Everyone prefers avoiding trouble."

Lao Li was straightforward.

"Bastards..."

The Panda had been holding back, but couldn't help tugging at Liu Zheng's sleeve now.

Liu Zheng turned around, meeting its red eyes.

"Sigh."

He sighed, rubbing the Panda's head.

"Brother Li, is there any way you can help? This subordinate has risked its life for me, and with its clan wiped out, as its leader I can't let it not even know its enemies."

Liu Zheng turned to Lao Li.

"This is tricky. As a friend, I won't sugarcoat it. It would've been solved if that staff member had been found earlier; it took over a month just to bring him in for questioning. Now, decades later, everything has changed. Although the bodies and crime scene were preserved, if there was a mastermind, tampering with bodies is hard, but the crime scene would be easy."

"If it weren't for having a family, seeing your contributions, and procurement quota, I'd leave no stone unturned for you."

"But now, alas..."

Lao Li sighed too.

"Brother Li, could you take us to the crime scene?"

Liu Zheng settled for the second best.