Chapter 661 - 9: Disagreement
"Heh, little thing~"
Seeing the ferocious look of the little saw-toothed tiger, Paul’s face was full of smiles. He crouched down and tried to grab the neck of the foremost little saw-toothed tiger.
The little guy hasn’t been weaned yet, but after all, it’s a wild animal, having never seen humans since birth, even though it hasn’t been weaned, it’s very fierce.
The foremost little saw-toothed tiger was the largest among the four saw-toothed tiger cubs. Facing Paul’s attempt, it unhesitatingly took a step back, then opened its mouth to bite Paul’s hand.
But it was still nursing, its baby teeth had not changed, so biting Paul’s thick, hairy hand was neither painful nor itchy. Instead of repelling Paul, it gave him a chance to get closer and lift it up.
"Aowoo~ Aow~ Aow..."
Flailing its legs, the little saw-toothed tiger howled unwillingly, calling for its mother.
Among the remaining three saw-toothed tiger cubs, two of them were a bit bolder, standing at the entrance of the cave eager to try, looking like they wanted to help but were too afraid to take action.
The last little saw-toothed tiger’s courage matched its size. When Chen Zhou and Paul arrived, it was already trying its best to burrow into the cave. When Paul lifted a saw-toothed tiger, causing it to make a noise, this little guy was even more frantic, running straight into the depths of the den without looking back.
"What a stout little thing!"
The little saw-toothed tiger in his hand twisted like a top. Paul looked at the saw-toothed tiger’s sturdy limbs and thick fur with emotion, his eyes revealing unabashed affection.
He was born in eastern Soviet Union, growing up in a small town next to a primeval forest.
The laws in the Soviet Union regarding the keeping of wild animals were very lax. After the economy flourished, due to the vast land and sparse population, land was cheap, and many wealthy people built large villas in the countryside and then bought and kept wild animals as alternative pets.
Although Paul’s family wasn’t that affluent, they had a geographical advantage, and when he was a child, his grandfather had once raised a Northeast Tiger.
Unfortunately, the lifespan of a Northeast Tiger is far shorter than that of humans. Paul didn’t have much contact with the Northeast Tiger before the elderly tiger passed away, and soon after, his grandfather also departed from this world.
In the course of his subsequent growth, Paul had contact with domesticated bears, black bears, Northeast Tigers, Northeast leopards, and lynxes.
Influenced by his childhood experiences, he has an extraordinary love for large beasts.
Before setting out to participate in the challenge, when asked what he wanted to do after successfully completing it, Paul thought it would definitely be to open a private zoo, then keep all the animals he likes in it, and be able to accompany and interact intimately with them every day.
To him, that would be an incredibly happy thing.
At this moment, seeing these four parentless saw-toothed tigers, Paul felt they were pitiful, and seeing their appearance also found them cute. He couldn’t help but feel a little reluctant to move his legs.
Forcibly hugging the saw-toothed tiger cub in his arms, ignoring its protest and rubbing the little guy’s head, Paul cautiously glanced at Chen Zhou and tentatively asked.
"Can we keep them? I think if we can raise them, it would be very helpful."
After speaking, afraid that Chen Zhou would disagree, he added:
"Saw-toothed tigers are social animals, naturally possessing social traits, and they are sturdy in build with a certain level of intelligence.
I think sparing some food to raise them would be a very cost-effective thing. In future conflicts with other challengers, they could also be of help."
...
The little saw-toothed tiger being held was still making noise. After hearing Paul’s words, Chen Zhou remained silent for a moment, finally shaking his head.
"No, our current goal is to quickly find a place to build a shelter, then prepare to fight for the first airdrop supplies, and also prepare to survive the long winter.
In this process, we’re not even sure if we can stock up on enough food for ourselves, let alone feed these guys.
From weaning to adulthood, saw-toothed tigers take at least a year and a half. Even if we don’t wait for them to grow up, raising them to be combat-ready would take seven to eight months. During this time, they would just be machines that consume food and energy.
Even if we could supply the food they need, what about their training? Would we also need to make time for that?
Who can guarantee that they could be trained to be as obedient as dogs, understanding commands and following discipline? Large herbivorous animals, if not trained well, can at least carry some heavy loads. Can they be used as working dogs, or like cattle and horses?
If the cost-effectiveness in all aspects is low, then why should I agree to keep them—is it just because they’re small, because they’re cute?"
Chen Zhou’s Russian was very fluent. After asking several questions in succession, Paul was left speechless, standing foolishly on the spot with the saw-toothed tiger cub in his arms.
The saw-toothed tiger cub in his arms must have been tired from struggling. Seeing that it couldn’t escape this monster’s control no matter what, it could only relax its body and wait for its mother to rescue it.
The young saw-toothed tiger was at a growing stage, nowhere near as energetic as it would be after reaching adulthood. After its symbolic resistance failed and without feeling any pain, it huddled in Paul’s arm and just felt warm, sleepiness overtook it.
Not long after, this carefree saw-toothed tiger cub actually fell asleep.
Before the three-headed saw-toothed tiger went out hunting, they seemed to have specially fed the little one. Its little belly, covered with white and cream-colored fluffs, rose and fell as it breathed, making it look rounder and cuter.
Looking down at the little guy in his arms, Paul wanted to argue back, but felt that Chen Zhou was indeed making sense.
Besides, at the beginning of the challenge, he had agreed with Chen Zhou—