Chapter 53: Differential Treatment!

“This deer... actually ran all the way from Nanjiao along the highway to Yanhai City?”

“That’s a good eight hundred kilometers in between!”

“And it came to Yanhai just to find the streamer?!”

Realizing this, the viewers in the livestream were struck with bewilderment.

“Student! Danger! Get away from it, quick!”

Just then, an urgent voice rang out.

Everyone turned to look and saw a security guard approaching with a predatory gaze.

Seeing Lin Nan standing defenseless before the black deer, and seeing that the creature was closing in on him, the guard grew frantic.

Those long, sharp antlers were only inches away from Lin Nan.

The security captain was nearly burning with anxiety; he was terrified that something would happen to the student, for which he would be held responsible.

With a surge of desperation, he stomped his foot and prepared to rush forward to pull Lin Nan back.

“Student! Step back...”

The guard stepped forward quickly, intending to pull Zhao Yi'an back.

But just as he made his move, an ethereal deer cry suddenly rang out, echoing between the dormitory buildings!

Then, a massive black shadow lunged forward, physically intercepting the space between the security captain and Lin Nan!

“Mother of God...”

The security captain’s vision went dark as he cried out in terror at the sudden turn of events.

He scrambled backward in a frenzy, nearly collapsing onto his backside!

When he regained his senses and looked again...

He saw that the massive black deer was now standing protectively in front of Lin Nan!

Its head was slightly lowered, and a warm breath puffed from its nostrils.

The long antlers were like two bolts of lightning, aimed directly at the security guard on the ground, its eyes filled with majesty and fury.

It looked like a warning; its ferocity was unmistakable. If one didn't know it was a deer, one might well believe it was an enraged tiger or leopard.

Seeing this scene, the surrounding students couldn't help but shudder. They hurriedly retreated, their eyes filled with wonder.

Since entering the campus, this deer had not shown any intention of attacking.

Even when students observed it from a close distance, it had only shown signs of impatience.

This led the students to subconsciously assume the deer was gentle and wouldn't hurt anyone.

But...

The way the deer had suddenly lunged just now truly terrified everyone present!

They had seen with their own eyes that the deer's speed was as swift as thunder and lightning!

Looking at those terrifying antlers on its head, one could only imagine—if one were gored by that thing...

One would surely be pierced straight through!

This level of attack power was no less than that of a fierce beast!

At this thought, many of the boys who had wanted to approach the black deer earlier felt a layer of cold sweat of lingering fear run down their spines!

“Damn, luckily I didn't go over just now.”

“If I tried to act tough and got gored, my life would be over!”

“When this deer gets angry... why is it scarier than a lion or a tiger?!”

The watching students whispered among themselves, some trembling with fear, none daring to approach again.

Meanwhile, Lin Nan, the focus of attention at the center of the scene, couldn't help but click his tongue. He felt more and more that this deer was spiritual, understood human nature, and was quite extraordinary.

Furthermore, through the Thunder Seal planted within its body, Lin Nan discovered he shared a mysterious connection with it.

No wonder when he was napping in his dormitory this afternoon, he had experienced dreams of running as fast as the wind in a hazy state.

Perhaps... those weren't dreams at all.

They were the sensations of the deer actually running on the road, which he had sensed!

It was precisely this vague connection that allowed Lin Nan to know some of the creature's thoughts.

The deer's sudden movement just now was indeed intended to protect him.

Though it looked robust now, that was due to the activation of the Guanyuan Spring Thunder Seal's bloodline, which gave it the potential to grow into a spiritual beast.

The deer's actual age was only about six or seven years.

It had simply seen someone trying to pull him away and didn't know the security guard's intentions.

Thus, in its momentary anxiety, it had directly stepped between him and the guard.

“It’s somewhat similar to the meaning of a spirit pet in beast-taming novels.”

To be honest, the more Lin Nan looked at the deer, the more he liked it.

Who wouldn't want their own extraordinary pet?

Not only could it be a mount, but it could also be a companion, and in critical moments, a bodyguard. It was simply perfect.

However, sensing the gazes of the surrounding students, which were tinged with a hint of fear, Lin Nan knew he couldn't let the deer get startled again.

After all, it wasn't an adult yet; though it possessed human-like intelligence, its temperament was not yet mature.

Lin Nan walked slowly toward the black deer.

As he did, the watching students couldn't help but feel terrified for him.

Even Wang Yue, watching from not far away, couldn't help but clench the hem of her clothes, worrying for Lin Nan in her heart.

After all, the deer's performance just now had given them quite a scare.

Moreover, it was currently lowering its head, thrusting those terrifying antlers forward, staring down the security guard.

While it seemed to be protecting Lin Nan, it was still an animal, and no one could be sure if its ferocity would suddenly explode, causing it to lash out.

Yet, under the wide-eyed, breathless gazes of the crowd, Lin Nan remained calm and composed. He strolled forward and reached out his hand toward the black deer's head.

Just as everyone's hearts were in their throats...

Lin Nan's palm slowly landed on the black deer's forehead.

*Crackle...*

A sound of intertwining lightning, almost inaudible and invisible to the naked eye, rang out where Lin Nan's palm touched.

It was the Guanyuan Spring Thunder Seal planted on the deer's forehead earlier, which was now resonating with Lin Nan once again.

As he stroked it, the ancient bloodline activated within its body flourished with vitality like bamboo shoots after a spring rain!

The black deer immediately showed an expression of joy and enjoyment!

Seeing this intimate gesture between man and deer, the students present stared with wide eyes, completely stunned!

What was going on?!

Before this, the deer had clearly not allowed anyone to approach or touch it, and it had seemed very fierce.

How could it be like a completely different creature the moment it touched Lin Nan?

It actually let him pet its head just like that, without showing any sign of impatience.

It even looked like it was enjoying it?!

Just as the students were about to have their jaws drop at the scene, Lin Nan's authoritative voice drifted out slowly

“A divine beast descending to the mortal realm must not harm people indiscriminately. Remember this.”

Lin Nan knew he was currently livestreaming, so he naturally couldn't miss the opportunity to play his part.

The words were incredibly "chuunibyou," but they perfectly suited the divine persona he was currently portraying.

Wasn't this deer a divine beast descended to earth?

As his voice rang out, though he was speaking to the black deer, the voice seemed to carry a magical quality. Combined with Lin Nan's current actions, his authoritative guidance also exuded a sense of intimacy.

The scene was so surreal that it left everyone dazed.

It truly looked as if a deity were admonishing a divine beast beneath him!

But could this black deer actually understand?

Not long ago, someone had tried to talk to the deer.

Everyone still vividly remembered the image of that guy being forcibly pushed away by the antlers, nearly stumbling.

What could Lin Nan's actions possibly...

But just as everyone was speculating, the next thing that happened was completely different from before!

The deer truly seemed to have understood, as it immediately lifted its head!

Its dark, glossy eyes turned toward Lin Nan once more.

Under the bewildered gazes of the crowd, the robust black deer actually acted like a spoiled child...

It proactively nudged its head forward, rubbing its furry cheek against Lin Nan's face!

When this scene unfolded, the area fell into instant silence.

Even the security captain was left with a face full of bewilderment.

Patting the dust off his pants, he couldn't help but think

*Wait, so you two are from the same family??*

*Where did that ferocity the deer just showed me go?*

*Now it's turned into a good little baby?!*

The boy who had been pushed away by the antlers earlier was also green with envy, exclaiming aloud

“No way... why does he get to do it, but I can't?”

At the same time, the preceding scenes were being captured by the phone in Wang Chengyu's hand, which was currently livestreaming.

As the saying goes, "the onlooker is often the last to know."

The viewers in the livestream, being separated by a screen, were not as terrified as the students on the scene.

Therefore, they had already noticed certain clues and began flooding the livestream with comments.

“Hiss... does it feel like this black deer is protecting the streamer?!”

“Holy crap, don't tell me, I have that feeling too!”

“Think about it! So many people tried to get close to the deer earlier, and nothing happened to it.”

“But the moment the guard tried to pull the streamer away, it suddenly lost its temper!”

With this discovery, and considering that this "Highway Deer" had not only tracked him for eight hundred kilometers but was now protecting the streamer, the livestream exploded!

“What's the deal... could its behavior just now have been protecting its master??”

“And seeing how intimate they are, are they performing a 'star-crossed lovers' act? What did the streamer do to it that night in Nanjiao?!”

“But that deer has antlers, it's clearly a male!”

“Holy... that makes it even more intense!”

As the livestream descended into nonsensical discussions, the topic grew increasingly wild.

Just then, the sound of vehicle engines rang out, stopping a short distance from the crowd.

The car doors slammed shut, and a group of people walked over. A voice came from the rear

“Please make way.”

“Stop watching here, disperse.”

Following the sound from the back of the crowd, the discussions subsided slightly, and Lin Nan and the others looked toward the source.

The gathered crowd made way, and over a dozen men pushed through the throng, wearing two different colors of uniforms.

Six of them wore orange-yellow uniforms and helmets; from their attire, they were undoubtedly firefighters from Yanhai City.

As for the others, Lin Nan saw the lettering on their uniforms.

They were from the Forestry Bureau!

These people had likely been briefed on the situation beforehand and were being very cautious.

They had stopped at a distance for fear that the sound of the car would startle the black deer.

However, as they leaped through the crowd and saw the scene ahead, they were stunned.

Hadn't they been told a wild deer had broken into the campus?

Looking at this, it seemed as if the situation had already been resolved.

The men from the Forestry Bureau stared at the majestic black deer. One middle-aged man in a Forestry Bureau uniform, presumably the leader of this group, muttered in disbelief

“It really is a Sambar deer... it actually ran all the way from Nanjiao??”

A clerk standing beside him responded in a low, certain voice, “Section Chief, it's absolutely true!”

“And it's a Class II rare species... Nanjiao is frantic about this!”

Hearing this, the Section Chief cleared his throat and stepped forward.

After scanning the area, his gaze settled on Lin Nan, and he introduced himself

“Hello. We are from the Yanhai City Forestry Bureau. We received reports of a wild animal entering the urban area and have come to provide assistance.”

The Section Chief also noticed how familiar Lin Nan seemed with the black deer and couldn't help but ask, “Are you two... acquainted??”

After a pause, he asked curiously, “We heard this deer ran all the way from Nanjiao. Does this matter have anything to do with you?”

“Yes.”

Lin Nan did not deny it. After all, the deer's tracks were too obvious.

A simple investigation would reveal that he had also just returned from Nanjiao; a flat denial would only invite more suspicion.

Yet, despite Lin Nan's affirmative answer, everyone present was still astonished.

Good grief...

It turns out this deer really was coming for him!

However, hearing Lin Nan's confirmation, the Forestry Bureau members found it hard to believe.

But based on the current information, the deer's movements were indeed suspicious.

A clerk couldn't help but ask

“Did it travel such a long distance just to find you here?”

“What was the reason?”

As the clerk's voice fell, everyone perked up.

The same question lingered in their minds, and they were all curious about the deer's motives.

Seeing that Lin Nan seemed intent on responding directly, they all wanted to hear his answer.

“Revenge.” The next second, Lin Nan blurted out without changing his expression. “When I was going up the mountain, I accidentally stepped on a patch of grass.”

“Perhaps it holds a grudge because I stepped on its food, which is why it chased me so far.”

Lin Nan spoke with a steady gaze and a serious expression.

He couldn't exactly say he had kidnapped it, could he?

That would be illegal.

But as these words fell, everyone present was stunned.

Revenge??

This reason was truly beyond anyone's expectations!

And Lin Nan had such a deadpan, serious look on his face.

Yet... the black deer was still continuously nudging its face against him, acting spoiled!

Where was the sign of a deep-seated vendetta?!

It wasn't just the students on the scene.

Even the netizens in the livestream were speechless upon hearing this.

In an instant, the comment section exploded!

“What the hell? Revenge??”

“What kind of deer holds such a grudge? Is it worth running eight hundred kilometers to hunt him down?”

“Good lord... is he pulling a 'lone rider across a thousand miles' act with this deer?!”

“Streamer, do you realize what you're saying?”

“Look at how affectionate it is with you; it's practically writing 'please cuddle me' on its face!”

“You say it's here for revenge? Who would believe that?!”

At this moment, the Forestry Bureau personnel were also stunned.

Looking at the black deer's reaction, their mouths twitched involuntarily.

However, since the fact was already established, the Section Chief reminded his subordinates, “The priority right now is to handle this deer properly and as quickly as possible.”

But when thinking of a solution, everyone ran into a dilemma.

“Normally in this situation, we should return it to its habitat, but since it could run this far, there's no guarantee there won't be a second time...”

“What if we send it back, and the next thing you know, it's back on the highway again?”

...

(End of Chapter)