You Plan To Kill Me With Meng? - Chapter 45.2

Later, the research station discovered that a member of the polar bear family was missing. The little yellow bucket was gone and they reasoned that it might have broken.

Although it is a pity, parting seems inevitable.

Even with the absence of the yellow bucket, there was no change in the lives of Odis and Alexander. But the familiar yellow color was not there. This always made people feel that something is missing.

Going down the lane, many years have passed since Alexander’s childhood. Every year, senior researchers told stories of Odis and Alexander with nostalgia to the new colleagues who joined the research station. With this precedent, no one not knew of how cute Alexander was when he was a child.

Therefore, it doesn’t matter if the little yellow bucket was missing. Everyone remembered it in their memories.

For a long time, Odis also had memories of the bucket. Whenever they got up to move, seeing Qiao Qixi not carrying a bucket, he would look around for it subconsciously.

This habit, that had been cultivated for many years, took another half year to break.

Odis seemed to be concerned about it a little more than that. Later on, he started paying attention to things that were washed ashore. He started picking up things like beach balls, little yellow ducks, plastic bottles, and so on for Qiao Qixi.

Qiao Qixi wanted to keep the beach ball because it was fun.

But it was round and easy to lose, forget it.

He played with it for the afternoon and threw it back into the sea when he got tired.

Don’t like any of these?

Odis looked disappointed, perhaps thinking that the bear only liked things that looked like the little yellow bucket.

After about a year, Odis eventually picked up a substitute for Xiao Huang, a little beach bucket, pink in colour.

Qiao Qixi looked at the new toy brought back by Odis.

Qiao Qixi: “….”

Although he was reluctant, he still accepted it. After all, he secretly liked it.

The small size was also good. It could hold two shells, like pets.

Shells: Are you sure we are food?

Finally, the drone captured Alexander picking up another bucket. It was really small, pink and incredibly cute.

While the fans were happy for Alexander, they also felt regret. Who were those who said that he wouldn’t accept another bucket? Wasn’t it only because no one gave it to him?

They should have given him another one earlier.

With the new bucket, Alexander was happy for a while. But the pink bucket was made of thin plastic, and was not as sturdy as Xiao Huang. It may not survive the winter ice.

But, in the end, it didn’t matter what bucket Alexander had; he and Odis were always together.

In their family, Odis was the main hunting force, until he reached twenty-eight. Qiao Qixi obviously felt Odis’s condition starting to decline. Although it was a significant concern, compared to other polar bears of the same age, Odis was still very strong.

Qiao Qixi began to seize the position of the head of the family when he was twenty-five and finally succeeded when Odis was twenty-eight.

From then on, he had the final say in what they ate.

Ringed seals: Are we going to eat fish again?

When polar bears near twenty-eight years, they are considered old, and all aspects of their body functions start to decline, facing imminent death.

Odis was doing well, except for giving more hunting opportunities to Qiao Qixi. Other than that, everything is normal.

Even in spring, he would still take Alexander to climb the snow-capped mountains.

The bear was old, but still young and romantic at heart.

Qiao Qixi: Tui! What’s the use of climbing the snow mountain? It’s just a small snow slope.

Up and down, it takes about two hours.

Actually, when an old bear wanted to climb the snow mountain, Qiao Qixi stopped him.

Old people should accept their age.

Odis perhaps thought he was okay and wanted to climb the snow mountain, but Qiao Qixi disagreed. Odis was only allowed to climb small snow slopes.

Odis was helpless. He assumed Qiao Qixi liked the smaller snow slope, so he accepted it.

In fact, his body is still in good condition.

The care provided by Qiao Qixi both overt and covert, has played a significant role. Of course, Odis’s good condition was also because of himself, he feels he can live for many more years if there was enough food.

Qiao Qixi was only three years younger than Odis. At first, he was very excited to become the head of the family, but after six months, he started to feel fearful and lost.

He was afraid that he cannot protect Odis and that Odis would experience a difficult old age. So, he started to work extra hard to hunt as much food as he could.

This was the only way he could feel safe.

After every successful hunt, Odis carefully licked Qiao Qixi’s face and mouth, cleaning his bloodstained fur.

For more than two years, Alexander became the main predator and hunter for the polar bear’s family.

The researchers naturally noticed this change. They could reason and speculate that Odis was no longer able to participate in a hunt, and had to rely on Alexander.

Sure enough, it was the case of you raised me young and I raised you old.

They watched as Alexander walked ahead of Odis across the screen, turning back to reassure him and then went by himself to hunt seals. Alexander himself was an elderly polar bear now.

These clips were heart-rendering to watch. Over the years, the staff of the research station changed batch after batch, some resigned some retired.

Still, there were no exceptions. They all undoubtedly remember Odis and Alexander. They were also worried how both of them would spend their old age.

In the recent years, a polar bear sanctuary was established in the Arctic, dedicated to disabled and old polar bears unable to take of themselves.

There were already more than ten polar bears currently living in the reserve. After contacting them, they expressed their willingness to welcome Odis and Alexander.

It was a public news that this reserve was established with the grant from the Polar Bear Fund, and a large amount of money every year was put into maintaining it.

Odis and Alexander, played a role in the contribution to this fund. Many people started to take notice of the polar bear group and conditions of polar bears because they like the two of them.

Thus, they also paid attention to the environmental condition of the entire Arctic. Since more than a decade, the Arctic region has improved gradually, at least with regards to concerns like marine litter and poachers.

They were absolutely prohibited.

Qiao Qixi and Odis strolled along the coast and through comparison of each year, indeed felt the condition of the environment of their home gradually improving.

Ah, it seems that human environmental conservation efforts are really making a difference.

Even if they could live for another 30 years, they still wanted to stay on this polar continent, even if life here is hard.

Simply watching the tides ebb and flow, and clouds rolling by.

As a result, Alexander who was in a reverie, was shot along with Odis on a lazy summer evening.

By the time they woke up again, they were already in the Polar Bear Sanctuary or the Elderly Recuperation Center.

The two polar bears that were shot in the wild woke up looking at each other, unaware of what was going on.

Poachers?

Prank by fans?

Turned out not; Qiao Qixi soon saw humans moving around wearing work clothes with a symbol printed onto their shirts. After understanding the nature of this institution, he could rest assured.

This was a sanctuary for polar bears?

Do you want to take care of them during old age?

Qiao Qixi was ecstatic. He remembered how much he wanted to stay at the research station when he first crossed into a polar bear.

Does it mean that after more than twenty years of wandering in the wild, they could now usher in a happy life of being raised while lying down?

Qiao Qixi excitedly kicked Odis’s paw and his round eyes seemed to say, “My dear, our later years are settled, trust me.”

Odis was older and the effect of the anesthetic had not passed completely, so he fell asleep again. By the time he woke up, it was time to eat.

The staff put large shoal of fish and meat at the feeding site. A group of old, weak, sick and disabled bears rushed from all directions one after another. There were at least more than ten but less than twenty of them.

Odis’s nerved tensed until he sniffed and asserted that they were all old, weak, sick and disabled. There was no threat to speak of.

Qiao Qixi who also discovered this fact: ….

He thought with a slightly complicated feeling. This reserve turned out to be a center for the old, weak, sick and disabled.

He and Odis although old, were still very strong, unlike the conditions of the polar bears here.

What was the reserve agency thinking, bringing them too?

They should have brought them in two years earlier, right? Isn’t life fragrant with regular and scheduled meals?

Qiao Qixi turned his head and rubbed against Odis, “Come dear, let’s go and eat.”

These two polar bears who were still considered strong in the wild, came in together with a commanding presence causing other polar bears to voluntarily make way.

Qiao Qixi winked at Odis, then lowered his head to pick up a large piece of meat, leisurely enjoying his meal.

In fact, his heart was already blooming with joy.

From today, the title of bigshots of this retirement center for the elderly and disabled belonged to none other than him and Odis.

So of course, they also didn’t forget to bully these polar bears.

These elderly polar bears didn’t like to fight anymore. There was enough food and there are also mates, what was there to fight?

They all lived together, and every polar bear even had its own circle of friends. They all went to play harmoniously after eating.

Qiao Qixi was walking with Odis, they were eager to explore how vast this reserve area actually was. Odis was also restless. He was not yet used to the smells of so many polar bears around him.

They set off after eating their fill. It was early summer and the temperature was clement. A thin layer of snow was still covering the ground.

They walked for a very long time and could no longer smell the other polar bears gradually. The protected area was quite extensive.

It was indeed very large. There were only around twenty polar bears in the reserve and it was more than enough to roam around without intruding on each other’s grounds.

When it was time for meal, you could go back to eat and return outside again.

Odis found a place he was fond of, a small man-made cabin.

Of course, there was no food in it. Nevertheless, it was quite nice to sleep.

Qiao Qixi lay on the wooden board and sighed. As this was a center reserved for the elderly and disabled, there were all kinds of facilities for leisure.

Indeed, there was a large lake near the cabin. It was a naturally formed lake and even had fish in it. But, with them being elderly and not in best health, hunting was challenging. Wasn’t it better to enjoy communal meals?

Qiao Qixi decided that he would no longer hunt from today and announced his retirement.

Overall, he was very satisfied with the center. It could be assumed that Odis was also satisfied.

The migration to south this summer already made him feel a bit strained. In two more years, he wondered if he would still be able to swim back.

If he couldn’t swim back, only Alexander would embark on the return journey.

He would eventually be left behind.

Left on the barren continent, waiting for death.

Qiao Qixi already thought about this issue. If Odis was too old to swim back, he was determined to stay behind with Odis and embark on a journey of survival.

If they were to die, why not face death together? What’s the difference between living one more year or two?

If he had to live without Odis, what would be the meaning of that life?

Things were good now. They were brought to a reserve center and need not worry anymore about doom in the wild during their old age.

Living in such a leisurely environment, Qiao Qixi estimated that he and Odis could live for many more years.

Well, wake up after a nap and explore other places.

I wonder if there are any small snow slopes they could climb?

Hehe, even if they don’t do anything explicit, just cuddling and kissing, waiting until next spring to climb a snow slope with Odis already felt wonderful.

It feels very beautiful and contenting.

T/N: We’re almost at the end of the arc. Just one more chapter to go.