I Can't Understand Animal Speech, but I Kept the Big Shots in an Abandoned Zoo Alive

After Bai Xunxia was confirmed to be a Guide,

she was constantly sent by the White Tower's recruiters to soothe Sentinels traumatized by war.

Those Sentinels were all vicious and brutal,

treating human lives as worthless,

and constantly spewing insolence at Bai Xunxia.

Once her internship was over,

in an era when there were still enough Guides to go around,

she chose to resign.

Suddenly, the world was all birdsong and flowers,

and everything seemed beautiful.

Bai Xunxia decided to spread that beauty

by buying an old, run-down zoo that everyone had given up on.

The place was in a deplorable state.

The tiger in the big-cat enclosure was listless.

The wolf pack was reduced to a skin-and-bones old leader.

The snow leopard kept leaping off high places, trying to kill itself;

The orca at the aquarium had stopped cursing,

the giant octopus kept biting off its own tentacles,

and the jellyfish floated at the surface, unable to find oxygen;

There was also the aviary,

where the peacock had lost its tail feathers,

the parrot had lost its voice,

and the ostrich buried its head in trash-strewn dirt.

How pitiful.

Bai Xunxia patted her chest, determined to be a tough mom.

She swore she would keep these children alive.

But as she cared for them,

how did they all... learn to talk?

Looking at the peacock fanning its feathers, the snow leopard rubbing itself against her to mark her with its scent, and the giant octopus stamping her with its tentacles...

Before you try to court your mom, have you even read the Tao Te Ching?

Author's worldbuilding notes: This story contains many original settings that connect to the backgrounds of other books in the series, but it is a standalone story.

[Beastfolk era -> Guide and Sentinel era -> ABO era, in chronological order]

[Spirit forms appear much like Patronuses in the Harry Potter films, but their appearances are more clearly defined.]

[Pheromones have little influence during the Guide and Sentinel era, laying the groundwork for the ABO era.]

[Although Guides can be matched with multiple Sentinels, Guides are actually in a disadvantaged position.]

[Guide spirit animals are also weak in the natural world, but that doesn't mean there are no powerful animals, only that they are in the minority.]

[Sentinels and Guides can be men or women, but there are more male Sentinels than female ones, and more female Guides than male ones. This is a setting specifically created for the main plot, not discrimination.]

A slow-to-catch-on, universally adored Guide VS readers guessing who the male lead is

1. Mostly unrequited crushes, but it's one-on-one, and the male lead is already decided.

2. Not a traditional Guide and Sentinel story.

3. A heroine who grows over time, not one who matures overnight.

4. The main plot moves slowly, with extensive worldbuilding.

Five updates a week when ranked, with two days off. Every other day when unranked.

Thanks to my friend Nier for buying and gifting the cover!!! It's super cute!!!

Theme: Respect nature and cherish yourself.