Animal Whisperer: Take Back My Life and Love Chapter 453: Zeno

"Nancy, Simon, if it is convenient, you can bring the small animals along and wait for the results. We need to work with the research team to determine our strategy, and you might gather more information here."

Nancy and Simon exchanged a look.

"Alright," she said, her voice firm as she gripped the phone. "We will be there soon."

Nancy was restless on the drive to the laboratory.

She was about to meet the researchers from the Elpis project.

She wondered if her mother would be there.

Nancy squeezed the photo of Tammy she had taken from Simon, its corners already slightly curled.

Will I see Mom?

Simon looked out the window with a calm expression, but Nancy noticed his hand resting on his knee. His fingertips were trembling ever so slightly.

She did not say a word, simply reaching over to grip his hand tightly.

After passing through multiple layers of security and reaching the lab, Nancy quickly scanned the researchers in their white coats.

Tammy was not among them.

She kept her face neutral, pushing her disappointment aside. Solving the case came first.

The researcher in charge of the analysis pointed at the screen with a heavy frown. "The chemical composition in the soil is very unique. It emits a scent that causes an intense rejection in animals, and it covers a wide area."

Nancy asked immediately, "Can we trace the source of the scent in reverse?"

"It is difficult." The researcher shook his head. "Even with precision instruments, we can only detect high concentrations at the sampling points. Beyond that, it almost vanishes. This agent is designed very intelligently. It could even mislead police dogs, making it impossible to track."

The meeting room fell silent as everyone stared at the complex molecular formulas, momentarily at a loss.

Just then, a young researcher in the corner stared at the structural diagram and muttered to himself.

"Actually, could we target its unique structure to create a reverse tracking agent? Something that tracks Langstrom’s repellent? He is on the run and has to avoid animal witnesses, so he is certainly still using it along his route."

The voice was soft, but it made everyone in the room look up at once.

"The idea is sound, but the difficulty is astronomical," a senior researcher sighed. "We only have five days left. We would have to perform molecular reverse engineering and then design and synthesize a brand new tracking agent. A task of this magnitude could likely only be completed in time by the Boss."

Nancy asked instinctively, "The Boss? Is that person here?"

Several researchers looked at each other and smiled, shaking their heads.

"Nancy, we are a top secret project team," one explained. "The lead core figure is only known by a codename. Their identity and whereabouts are strictly confidential."

Another researcher spoke up with a look of respect. "We only know the Boss by the codename Zeno."

Zeno. What an obscure name.

The young researcher looked at Simon and spoke solemnly. "Nancy, to request the assistance of Dr. Zeno, a formal request must be sent through your highest level of authority."

Nancy did not hesitate. She immediately entered a small room for an encrypted call.

The line connected, and after a brief silence, a female voice came through the speaker.

The voice was clear, steady, and completely devoid of any unnecessary fluctuation.

"Hello, Nancy."

Nancy’s heart skipped a beat without warning.

She composed herself and used the most concise language possible to explain the predicament and their needs.

There was silence on the other end for half a minute.

Then, the cold voice spoke again. "The data has been received."

The speaker’s tone was certain and relaxed.

"Six hours. I will handle the tracking agent."

The call ended.

The dial tone hummed.

Nancy stood there, her fingertips feeling slightly numb.

Was it because of that inexplicable sense of security? Or was it because there was something in that voice that resonated deep within me?

Shortly after Nancy finished the call, a sharp, prolonged shriek rang out from outside the lab. It sounded like something straight out of a horror movie.

Nancy and Simon rushed out immediately.

The sound came from a frozen lake near the back of the laboratory.

There, on the mirror like surface of the ice, lay a roe deer.

Its four slender legs were flailing uselessly against the ice, sliding about as it found itself completely unable to stand.

In its panic, the deer craned its neck toward the sky and let out its signature cry, a desperate and hilariously dim witted shriek.

The security guard stood on the shore with his hands on his hips, looking completely unfazed.

Nancy was stunned. "This... do you know this animal?"

The guard sighed, his tone thick with deep sympathy and helplessness regarding the creature’s intelligence.

"Know him? That foolish deer has been trapped on the ice more times than I can count this month. Every single time, he sprints onto the slickest part of the ice, and every single time, he gets stuck right there."