Police sirens blared through the night sky as a convoy of patrol cars arrived. The criminals behind the dogfighting and gambling ring, along with the gamblers who had assaulted the police, were apprehended and loaded into the vehicles.
Kyle Morgan contacted the Zenvia Animal Protection Organization. Their staff arrived quickly to remove the victimized dogs from the chaotic scene and provide them with dical treatnt.
On the drive back to the city, Renee Jennings suddenly rembered the young man from the previous night who had tragically lost his pet. She pulled out her phone and sent him a ssage.
"Your Sage might have been rescued. Co to the Sorin District Animal Protection Organization."
At that mont, Julian Nash was lying on the sofa, watching videos of Sage, his eyes filled with sorrow.
Suddenly, a ssage popped up on his phone.
Julian Nash casually tapped it open. Upon reading the ssage, he bolted upright.
"Sage!" he exclaid.
Leo thought he was having another breakdown, but then he saw Julian slip on his slippers, grab his jacket, and rush for the door.
"Neil, where are you going?" Leo imdiately rushed to block his path.
Urgency was written all over Julian Nash’s handso face. "Leo, I’m going to find Sage!"
Leo’s brow furrowed in exasperation. "Looking for Sage again? You..."
"This ti it’s for real." A glimr of hope rose in Julian Nash’s heart. "Soone told Sage might be at the animal protection organization."
"Who told you that?" Leo asked warily.
**
After the cruel abuse they had endured, the dogs were extrely agitated. Most of them had stress reactions when the veterinary staff tried to clean their wounds.
A young male attendant cried out in alarm, instinctively recoiling and narrowly avoiding a scratch from a brindle dog’s sharp claws.
Renee Jennings was looking for Eggy and the others when she heard the commotion. She walked over and asked, "Are you okay?"
"This dog is so aggressive," the young attendant said, pulling his hand back, still shaken. "I’m a little scared to treat its wounds now."
Renee Jennings’s gaze fell on the hostile, teeth-baring brindle dog. "How about I try talking to it?" she asked softly.
The young attendant looked at her, astonished. "Aren’t you scared? Besides, how do you even talk to a dog?"
"Let try." Renee Jennings looked at the brindle dog and slowly extended her hand. In a gentle tone, she said, "Don’t be afraid, little brindle. We’re here to help you. The bad people who hurt you have all been arrested."
Hearing this, the young attendant couldn’t help but purse his lips.
’I’ve already said those exact words to it several tis,’ he thought, ’and it still tried to attack , didn’t it?’
But in the next second, sothing unexpected happened.
The brindle dog sensed the goodwill coming from Renee Jennings. Its agitation slowly subsided, and the ferocity in its eyes softened.
"Human girl, I rember you. You’re the one who let us out just now."
The young attendant’s eyes widened in astonishnt, his face a picture of disbelief.
’No way, it actually worked?’
’Does this dog play favorites with pretty faces?’
’Does it have a thing for pretty girls?’
"You have a good mory." The corners of Renee Jennings’s lips lifted as she rested her hand on the brindle dog’s head, gently stroking its fur.
In no ti, the fierce dog had transford into a docile pet under Renee Jennings’s soothing touch.
It gave a soft "woof." "Thank you for saving us."
Renee Jennings’s eyes crinkled into a smile. "We all saved you together. This man here wants to clean your wounds so you can get healthy again. Will you let him help?"
The brindle dog nodded. "I understand."
"I’ve spoken with him," Renee Jennings said, turning back to the attendant. "You can go ahead and clean his wound now."
As soon as she spoke, the brindle dog obediently lay down on the treatnt table.
The young attendant was utterly stunned.
’Being pretty really does work!’
Renee Jennings went back to looking for Eggy and the others.
Suddenly, a small black dog rushed up to her, barking excitedly, "Renee!"
Renee Jennings recognized him at a glance and said, pleasantly surprised, "Boo? Did you find Goldie?"
"I found her, but the humans took her away again. I want to go see her, but they won’t let ," Boo said, his voice turning plaintive.
Renee Jennings ruffled his fur. "Let go talk to them for you."
"Okay, thank you, Renee!" Boo said gratefully.
Renee Jennings led Boo through the treatnt rooms one by one. They finally found Goldie in one of them, covered in wounds. She was lying weakly on the examination table with her eyes closed, her breathing faint. It was a heartbreaking sight.
Boo whined excitedly, "Sweetheart! Sweetheart! I missed you so much! Are you okay?"
The attendant in charge of Goldie, a woman in her forties, heard Boo’s frantic yelps and shot Renee Jennings a displeased look. "Get that dog out of here."
Faced with the order to leave, Renee Jennings politely explained, "Ma’am, Boo is Goldie’s mate. He’s been looking for her for a long ti. Could he please stay with her?"
Goldie slowly opened her eyes and whimpered, "Boo... Renee..."
Hearing Goldie seem to respond, Miss Archer asked in surprise, "They’re a couple?"
Renee Jennings nodded. "Yes."
Miss Archer hesitated. "But he’ll be in the way while I’m treating Goldie’s wounds."
"I won’t!" Boo yipped quickly, trying to convey his promise. "I’ll be very good! I won’t bother you!"
After that, he obediently sat down.
Renee Jennings relayed Boo’s words to Miss Archer. "Boo says..."
Miss Archer just thought she was joking. "Dogs can’t talk."
Renee Jennings smiled but didn’t argue.
She looked at Boo, who was staring intently at his mate. "Boo, you stay here and don’t wander off. I’m going to find Eggy."
Boo gave a bark. "I will, Renee."
Renee Jennings found Eggy without any trouble.
The little fella’s ears were drooping. He asked dejectedly, "Renee, does this an we can never go back?"
Renee Jennings pressed her lips together, her brow deeply furrowed. For a mont, she didn’t know how to answer his question.
But the next mont, Eggy perked up again and looked at her expectantly. "Renee, will you co visit us often, then?"
Renee Jennings squatted down in front of Eggy and nodded solemnly. "I will."
Eggy and the others had helped her so many tis, ever since that night she t Joyce. She had never forgotten.
’If only I had the ans,’ she thought, ’I’d love to adopt them all and keep them by my side. But my current situation makes that impossible.’
Renee Jennings sighed internally. ’When will I ever get rich enough to buy a mansion and take care of lots and lots of animals?’
Eggy moved closer and, for the first ti, nudged his head against Renee of his own accord. "Renee, thank you!"
System 009: Congratulations, Miss Jennings. You have completed the mission "Receive the Gratitude of Ten Animals." You have been awarded two random prize draws.
Renee Jennings’s eyes lit up. She asked eagerly, "009, can I use the prize draws now?"
System 009: Yes. The prize draw channel is now open.
A virtual screen appeared before Renee Jennings, displaying a ’flip-a-card’ prize draw.
Nine golden cards were shuffled on the screen. Using her thoughts, she began to flip them.
The golden card she selected began to glow, slowly growing larger.
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