Feng Yi sat on the giant python's back, holding the snake's tail in his hand to stop it from rolling over. His expression was serious, but his eyes were unfocused, and no one knew what he was thinking.
Steve didn't notice Feng Yi was distracted at all, he was praising the giant python's majestic head shape.
"Look at this head, it's obvious that it's a natural king! And these old scars on its head, these are its battle badges in the swamp, the captive pythons don't have this! Wow, look at its eyes, so cold and indifferent, even the scales at the corners of its eyes are wild and domineering! It's much more spiritual than the captive ones!"
Feng Yi: “…”
Steve: "This head shape, this appearance, this body! Hey, it feels like it has some reticulated python bloodline, but it's obviously not a purebred reticulated python, and a purebred reticulated python probably wouldn't be willing to move in this temperature.
"Before the climate anomaly period, people had discovered them in the swamp. After generations of natural selection, special individuals that survived the climate anomaly period and were able to adapt to the swamp climate gave birth to hybrid pythons with other pythons, such as Burmese pythons or other rock pythons?"
Steve said his guess.
This hybrid python is relatively slender, which is also similar to the reticulated python.
Six meters is the maximum length for Burmese pythons, but there are many reticulated pythons that are six meters long. As long as the conditions are right, six meters is fine. Steve has also seen reticulated pythons that are seven meters long, but most of them are in captivity.
I have never seen a seven-meter reticulated fish in the wild.
"Although it's not a purebred reticulated python, this hybrid is rare enough, and wild individuals are also more robust!"
As Steve was talking, he finally realized that Feng Yi was distracted again, and asked worriedly, "Are you okay?"
Feng Yi came back to his senses and shook his head, "No, I'm just a little hungry."
"Well, bear with it for a while. When Director He and the others come, you can go and eat."
Feng Yi hummed and brought the topic back to the giant python, "This one is seven meters long, right? Can it break the world record?"
Steve was also excited when talking about this. "It should be seven meters long. The exact length needs to be measured carefully. It may not set a new record, but it is definitely the longest python found in the wild. Some of the extreme individuals in captivity are also very large."
"In the wild, human activities will affect their living environment, and their growth will of course be restricted. In the past, when the scope of human activities was not so large, the original forest area was vast, the wetland jungle area was even larger, and the sufficient food and suitable growth environment could definitely provide more oxygen to the extreme individuals.
"It's hard to find extreme individuals in the wild now, but you can see captive ones in zoos and research centers. If you look at the star pythons in zoos, they are generally quite large, and some are carefully bred and selected. After the abnormal climate period, funding increased, with grants, subsidies, and social donations. Conditions have improved, and zoos are competing with each other to see who can raise the biggest python."
Speaking of the zoo, Feng Yi also remembered the golden python he had seen before, "There is a golden python in the Yongcheng Zoo, more than six meters long, very big."
Steve's tone was flat and calm. "Oh, I know that one. It's an albino Burmese python. It was artificially bred and raised with great care. It's considered an extreme individual among the superior individuals. It's not surprising that it has grown so big."
The "golden python" generally refers to the albino Burmese python. But in the eyes of ordinary people, albino Burmese pythons and albino reticulated pythons are all the same, they are all "golden pythons".
But with Steve, it's a big difference.
"I've seen seven-meter-long albino reticulated pythons, and albino Burmese pythons are a bit shorter. Reticulated pythons are leaner, except for those that are raised as pigs. I still prefer the wild ones," said Steve.
Steve could even sigh in fascination at the giant python that almost bit his head, "How beautiful!"
"I'll take you to the tropical jungle to catch an anaconda if I have the chance. That's another kind of cuteness! It has a bad temper, but it's not that bad either."
Feng Yi: "...How big can an anaconda grow?"
"It's hard to say. It depends on its living environment. The current maximum individual is definitely not as big as the Reticulated Pattern. Many of the data are exaggerated. In fact, they are only more than five meters long. But the huge anaconda skin from decades ago can prove that there were larger individuals in the past. The living environment at that time could support such a large body, but it can't be the case now."
"Can't we make inferences based on the data?" Feng Yi asked.
"The data obtained from scientific research will, to a certain extent, be lower than their upper limit of growth. After all, without facts and evidence, you don't know how big they can grow in the wild. Special individuals are not so easy to come across. This one is a special individual."
Steve nodded his chin at the giant python in front of him, "As for those snakes whose statistics exceed my common sense, they only exist in marketing accounts."
Feng Yi seemed to be thinking about something. He unconsciously swung the giant python's tail in his hand. Then he realized that this was not his tail.
For a moment, I lost interest.
Oh, I want to go home.
Frustrated.
But Steve was in high spirits, and continued to tell Feng Yi, "The one we caught has hybrid advantages. For example, pythons that prefer wetlands and pythons that prefer highlands may have some superior individuals among their offspring, which can adapt to both wetlands and highlands. This is the hybrid advantage that may result from interspecies reproduction."
When Director He arrived, Steve was controlling the head of the python, while Feng Yi was holding the torso and the tail of the python. The giant python was motionless.
Director He even suspected that the giant python had died.
Their helicopter could not land at the snake catching site, so they searched nearby before finding a suitable location. After the helicopter landed, Director He and his men immediately rushed to where Feng Yi and Steve were.
The people who came were all professionals, and there were many of them, so they took over to subdue the giant python, and Feng Yi and Steve were free.
Director He glanced at Feng Yi with a meaningful look, a bit like the time they met in the hotel lobby - an hour-long safety education class plus a handwritten letter of guarantee.
The letter of guarantee is still in Director He's hands.
Director He glanced at Steve. Before he could say anything, Steve took a step forward and held Director He's hand tightly: "Director He! I finally understand how you felt back then! These years have been so difficult!"
Director He: “…”
He pushed Steve aside expressionlessly and said, "Look at the snake first."
Feng Yi and Steve followed obediently.
Feng Yi briefly recounted the process of catching the python that Steve had mentioned.
Director He didn't know whether he believed it or not. He hummed and asked Feng Yi, "Are you injured?"
"without."
Director He took a closer look and found no injuries on Feng Yi's body. "He may have internal injuries. Don't take it lightly. The team doctor is here. Let him take a look later."
A member of the Joint Security Bureau came over from the python's side and said, "The python is still alive. I don't know if it has any internal injuries, but I didn't see any obvious external injuries. We'll have to go back and check to find out the specifics. The conditions here are limited."
After that, he took the instrument and measured the ground temperature and the python's body temperature. After a while, he looked at the time again and walked aside to call and urge: "Hurry up, it will become more active when the temperature rises in the morning, and it will be more difficult to control."
Director He walked over and took a close look at the giant python that Feng Yi had caught.
This size is indeed a visual shock, and it is indeed a wild species, not one that has been artificially bred and released into captivity.
"The temperature in Florida has risen in the past two days, and the nights are a little higher than in the past few days. There are many nocturnal animals, so it chose to come out at this time."
Director He checked the python's condition and said to Feng Yi and Steve, "Leave this to us first. We have set up a temporary tent over there, and brought food and water. You two can go over there and take a rest."
Let’s solve the python issue first and deal with Feng Yi’s problem later. Now is not the time to pursue it.
Steve said, "Feng Yi, you go first. I'll go back to Bai Zedi to pack up and drive the car over."
Without waiting for Feng Yi to say anything more, Steve ran away in a hurry.
Feng Yi always felt that this guy had thrown some trouble at him.
What's the trouble
Feng Yi looked at Director He's back. Director He and his colleagues were busy with work and couldn't scold him.
So, what is it
Feng Yi didn't think about it for now, so he didn't worry about it. Whatever, he went to eat something first, he was so hungry.
Feng Yi walked towards the tent and saw the people temporarily stationed there. There were several familiar faces brought by Director He, whom he had also seen during the domestic training.
As we were saying hello, we heard the sound of a helicopter flying in the night sky.
Three more helicopters landed, but there was no suitable space here, so they found another place to park.
"Is that one of yours too?" Feng Yi asked someone next to him.
The man took a look and denied it: "No, the model looks like the one used by local media."
Feng Yi: “…”
grass!
He knew why Steve ran so fast!
Feng Yi turned around and wanted to rush into the tent, but after running two steps, he stopped.
After careful consideration, I decided to face it first, otherwise these people will not leave easily.
Just as Feng Yi expected, relying on their local advantages, the local media that flew over first not only came, but also brought their cooperative media with them. They came in full force and were fully equipped.
The giant python was under close surveillance by the Joint Security Bureau and local law enforcement agencies, so they couldn't get close and couldn't take any useful photos for a while. But there was no rush. The transport truck hadn't arrived yet, and the giant python was still here, so there was always a chance.
If you can’t take a picture of the python, then interview the person who caught it first!
A group of people rushed to Feng Yi and asked him a series of questions. Some people were worried that Feng Yi wouldn't understand, so they brought a translator.
Feng Yi in the camera, although handsome enough, looked extremely tired, and his smile was listless. Others thought he was exhausted from catching the python.
However…
exhausted!
Quite tired!
My brain cells are almost exhausted!
According to what these reporters said, the residential area was completely alarmed! Why was there such a big commotion
Why do these people have so many questions? I haven’t figured out the answers yet!
Don't shoot me in the face!
Damn, the light is flashing so brightly that my pupils are almost popping out!
Just take pictures, why are you pinching my arm? Control yourself!
…My teeth started to itch.
Feng Yi took out his sunglasses and put them on.
The lights here are really too bright.
After a while, the people from the Joint Security Bureau came over to stop the reporters' madness. Feng Yi breathed a sigh of relief.
Director He assigned two people to guard Feng Yi to prevent Feng Yi from being disturbed.
After a brief interview, Feng Yi walked towards the tent with a tired look on his face.
The two people from the Joint Security Bureau who were sent over noticed Feng Yi's impatience and were about to give him some words of advice, but they saw Feng Yi suddenly lean over and grab a python from the grass beside the tent.
It’s not big, about one meter long.
Both of them: “?!!”
Feng Yi grabbed the snake's head with one hand and used the other hand to untie the snake's body that was wrapped around his wrist.
From a distance, it looked like Feng Yi was holding some strip-like object in his hand and swinging his arms around.
"Did you bring the bag?" Feng Yi asked.
"Ah? Oh! I brought it!"
One of them hurried into the tent and quickly took out a snake bag.
Feng Yi threw the snake inside and tied the bag, "I'll leave this to you?"
"Yes, just leave it to us, we will help you keep records."
"Then I'll go in and get some sleep first."
"Okay, we'll be outside, just shout if you have anything."
When Feng Yi walked into the tent, the man holding the snake bag raised the bag in his hand and asked his colleague, "Did you see any snakes there just now?"
"No. You went in and out several times. You set up the tent. Did you notice that there was a python hiding there?"
"… without."
"As expected of the group's top fighter, he can easily catch one!"
"If I hadn't known it was a snake, I would have thought he was making noodles at first glance!"