When he heard that his mother had health problems, Yang Lin's first thought was something like cancer.
After all, experts wouldn't be so solemn about discussing minor injuries or illnesses.
However, the experts' next answer shocked him even more than hearing about a terminal illness.
"If our equipment is functioning correctly, your mother is already two months pregnant. Currently, the fetus has some developmental issues, but otherwise, there are no problems."
Upon hearing this, Yang Lin even suspected he had misheard.
"What? Pregnant? That can't be right. My mom is almost 50, how is that possible?"
"Director Yang, we are not mistaken. Congratulations, you're going to be an older brother!"
Saying this, the expert took out a test report with all the figures clearly written on it.
Looking at the report in his hand, Yang Lin fell into a daze once more.
A minute later, he gave a thumbs-up towards the medical vehicle.
"Awesome!"
This "awesome" was for his father.
He was nearly thirty, and now his dad was giving him a younger brother or sister.
"I guess my main account isn't completely wasted then, is it?"
Of course, despite the shock, Yang Lin wasn't too resistant to the matter itself.
Having another sibling wouldn't affect him, and their family could afford it. With his current financial situation, even ten more siblings wouldn't be a problem.
Moreover, when he was younger, he had actively wanted a sister, but his mother had told him she couldn't have one, which had made him sad for a long time.
"Hehe, it's good to have more siblings. That way, they can't run off somewhere else anymore."
Having completely accepted the situation, Yang Lin even felt a little anticipation for the arrival of this sibling who would be more than 20 years younger than him.
As soon as Yang Lin's parents' health was confirmed to be fine, the scientific expedition team approached him again.
Under his guidance, the expedition team successfully located the mammoth graveyard and immediately began protective excavation.
Yang Lin knew that from this moment on, these mammoth carcasses would bear the label of Longguo.
For the first time, he felt a sense of being a major power.
Perhaps because of this, the Arctic expedition, originally scheduled for three months, was abruptly brought to a close.
When Yang Lin learned of this news, he was not surprised at all.
If he found something good elsewhere, he would also choose to leave as soon as possible.
Considering there was still a week before the official return journey, Yang Lin decided to make full use of this week.
So, he quickly found the shaman he had met before.
"Divine Envoy, do you mean you wish to take some local specialties back with you?"
In the Inuit village, after Yang Lin subtly expressed his intentions, the shaman said with sudden realization.
Before long, a pile of items was brought before Yang Lin.
These included the tusk of a narwhal, sealskin, polar bear fur, arctic fox fur, whale oil, and the delicacy of pickled auk.
When Yang Lin saw these items, his eyelids couldn't help but twitch.
"Esteemed Shaman, I believe you've misunderstood my intention; I wasn't looking for this."
"Don't you have many animals here? Reindeer, musk oxen, moose? Can I have a few young ones?"
Yang Lin still remembered the expedition team members mentioning trading a cast-iron pot for a polar bear cub.
Furthermore, in the day or two he had spent in the village, he had observed that the villagers did indeed have a custom of domesticating wild animals.
After he stated his wishes clearly, the shaman finally understood.
"So that's it. Our tribe does indeed raise many animals. If the Divine Envoy wishes for some, it's naturally no problem."
"Please follow me."
The shaman then led Yang Lin to an open space around the village.
In this fenced-off area, Yang Lin soon saw a group of animals unique to high-latitude regions.
Reindeer with twin antlers, thick-furred and robust musk oxen, and even several arctic wolves that were almost domesticated into dogs.
Clearly, the Inuit, who believed in the spirituality of all things, were not only skilled hunters but also experts in animal domestication.
"Divine Envoy, if there are any you fancy, you may choose them. However, I have a small request, which I hope the Divine Envoy will grant."
As Yang Lin excitedly examined the animals, which were not found in the Xihong Zoo, the shaman suddenly spoke.
Hearing this, Yang Lin pondered for a moment and then nodded.
"Speak. As long as it's within my capabilities."
Upon receiving Yang Lin's affirmative reply, a hint of joy appeared on the shaman's aged face.
"My request is very simple. Doesn't the Divine Envoy have two divine dogs? I wish for these two divine dogs to leave descendants in our tribe."
"Of course, if possible, I also hope the Divine Envoy can leave some enlightenment for the tribe."
Yang Lin never expected the shaman's request to be this.
"It seems he's taken a liking to the excellent genes of Goudan and Gousheng, wanting them to mate. He has good taste."
Understanding the shaman's intention, Yang Lin agreed without a second thought.
Besides, he had already noticed that Goudan and a female husky in the tribe had been acting strangely.
"Alright, I promise. As for enlightenment, I do have some, but I'm not sure if you're willing to listen."
As soon as Yang Lin finished speaking, the shaman immediately knelt again.
"We will listen. We will definitely listen."
Then, Yang Lin proposed some development suggestions for the Inuit tribe.
Such as developing tourism, starting farm-stay businesses, and attracting outside tourists to increase additional income.
He believed these words had surely been spoken to them by others before, but now, coming from him, the effect would naturally be different.
After discussing development suggestions, Yang Lin selected one male and one female from each species of animal in the enclosure.
They would leave here along with the previously acquired arctic foxes and polar bears, traveling with him to the Xihong Zoo.
There, they would become the first batch of animals in the Arctic Hall of the new park, where they would no longer have to worry about the negative impacts of melting Arctic ice.
If it were before, Yang Lin would naturally not have been able to bring so many animals back so conspicuously.
But with the connection to the Inuit, it was different.
The Inuit were one of the few ethnic groups on Earth with legal capture quotas.
As for the scientific expedition team, they had no objections. The research on polar animals was part of the expedition's objectives, and it was perfectly reasonable for a renowned animal expert to take a few animals back.
In any case, given Yang Lin's contributions to this expedition, they would turn a blind eye as long as he wasn't trying to load a whale onto the ship.
In fact, Yang Lin did take a whale, just not onto the ship.
A day earlier, Kunbao, along with a group of narwhals, beluga whales, and others he had tamed in the Arctic, had already set off towards Dolphin Island.