Deng Lei hung up the phone and hurried back to the district Forest Police brigade's office building, knocking on the door to Captain Cheng Wenming's office.
"Come in."
Deng Lei pushed open the door and entered.
Cheng Wenming was reading a document under the light. Seeing Deng Lei's grave expression, he put the document down and asked, "What's the matter?"
"Cheng University, I just got a call from the Zoo, from Advisor Yang."
Deng Lei was brief and to the point, quickly relaying what Yang Qi had told him.
He made a point to emphasize the source of the information: 'a clouded leopard told him.'
After hearing him out, Cheng Wenming said nothing. He simply pulled a cigarette from a pack, lit it, and took a deep drag.
A brief silence fell over the office, the only movement the smoke slowly spiraling up.
