151: Animal emergency center

A few days later, under Shen Mingyuan's active coordination and the Forestry Department's arrangements, the transfer procedure began. A transport vehicle equipped with a specialized ventilation box parked at the entrance of the urban village where Zhao Dayou lived, attracting a crowd of curious neighbors.

Zhao Dayou's eyes were red, but he was very cooperative with his actions.

Under the guidance of professionals, he personally entered the storage room and, using the same calls he used during feeding, carefully guided the Golden Python—which had grown to nearly three and a half meters—into the specially made transport box.

The python seemed to sense the change in its environment and coiled somewhat uneasily, but under Zhao Dayou's familiar, low, soothing voice, it eventually slid slowly into the box.

"Go there, eat well... listen to them," Zhao Dayou muttered softly through the ventilation holes of the box before taking a step back to let the staff seal it and lift it onto the transport vehicle.

Shen Mingyuan stood to the side, recording the entire process.

He noticed that the Curator of the Zoo's Reptile House, after carefully checking the python's physique, scales, and overall condition, whispered to a colleague: "It's really well-raised—plump, sturdy, and with a great luster to the scales. It's much better than the abused one we rescued last year. This old fellow really put his heart into it."

Shen Mingyuan quietly noted these words in his heart; they would become one of the favorable pieces of evidence in court later on.

Once the transfer documents were signed, the transport vehicle carrying the Golden Python drove away. Zhao Dayou stood by the roadside watching until the vehicle turned a corner and disappeared, only then letting out a heavy sigh as his shoulders slumped.

"Lawyer Shen, next..."

"Next, we will put all our effort into preparing for the trial." Shen Mingyuan patted his shoulder. "It went where it belongs and will receive professional care; that's a good thing. Now, we need to fight for a fair result for you."

Several days later, in the Criminal Courtroom of the Linjiang District People's Court.

The atmosphere in the courtroom was much more relaxed compared to Zhou Zihui's case, but the national emblem hung high, and the solemnity remained. Zhao Dayou stood nervously in the defendant's dock, listening to the Prosecutor read the indictment, charging him with the "Crime of Illegal Acquisition of Precious and Endangered Wildlife."

When it was time for the defense, Shen Mingyuan rose calmly. He did not get bogged down in the basic fact of "whether a crime was committed"—the objective act had indeed occurred—but instead anchored the core of the defense firmly on two points: "minimal subjective malice" and "negligible social harm."

"Presiding Judge, members of the jury," Shen Mingyuan's voice was clear and steady, "the facts of this case are clear, and the defendant, Zhao Dayou, has confessed to the act of raising a Burmese Python.

However, looking at the case as a whole, we have ample evidence to show that the cause of this case was not for profit, showing off, or any unlawful purpose, but rather stemmed from an ordinary laborer's simple compassion and a regrettable blind spot in his legal knowledge."

He presented the evidence in turn: "Evidence one: witness testimony and a certification from the Village Committee, confirming that the defendant, Zhao Dayou, has long been a farmer and laborer, is a law-abiding person with no prior bad record or criminal intent, and indeed lacked a basic understanding of laws related to wildlife protection.

The act of 'picking up eggs to hatch' itself is enough to prove that his subjective intent was not 'acquisition,' but rather a 'sheltering' of an accidental nature."

"Evidence two: consumption records during the period of care and neighbor testimony, confirming that the defendant took great care of the python, caused no harm to the animal, and that his act of raising it caused no actual harm or threat to the safety of surrounding residents or the environment. The animal involved is in good health under his care."

"Evidence three, and most importantly,"

Shen Mingyuan held up the receipt issued by the Wildlife Rescue Center. "After the case was filed, the defendant did not evade or resist. Instead, under the guidance of the defense and judicial authorities,

he immediately expressed deep remorse and actively cooperated to safely transfer the precious animal involved to a professional rescue agency, ensuring it received much better placement than private care.

This is not only a direct reflection of his attitude of remorse but also the most effective and timely remedy for any potential social risks."

He concluded: "The purpose of punishment lies in the combination of penalty and education.

While the actions of the defendant, Zhao Dayou, did violate the law, his motives were pure, the consequences were minor, and his post-incident remedial attitude was active and thorough.

Applying a harsh criminal penalty would likely violate the principle of modesty in criminal law and fail to achieve the best social and legal effects.

I urge the court to fully consider the aforementioned circumstances and grant the defendant, Zhao Dayou, the maximum possible leniency, recommending that he be exempted from criminal punishment or given a probation, so that while accepting his lesson, he can return to his normal life as a law-abiding citizen as soon as possible."

The Prosecutor also acknowledged Zhao Dayou's cooperative attitude and the act of transferring the animal in court, stating that a lighter sentence could be considered at the court's discretion.

After a recess for deliberation, the judge delivered the verdict in court.

"...The defendant, Zhao Dayou, illegally raised a nationally protected precious wild animal, and his actions constitute the Crime of Illegal Acquisition of Precious and Endangered Wildlife.

However, given that he took it in and raised it due to weak legal awareness and out of compassion, his subjective malice is minor;

no harm was caused to the animal or other harmful consequences during the period of care;

and after being brought to justice, his attitude of confession was good, he showed a deep understanding of his mistakes, and he actively assisted in transferring the animal involved to a professional agency for rescue, effectively eliminating the negative impact of the illegal act and demonstrating true remorse... To implement the criminal policy of tempering justice with mercy and to reflect the principle of combining punishment with education, this court hereby exempts the defendant, Zhao Dayou, from criminal punishment according to the law."

The gavel fell.

The trial ended, and the crowd dispersed. Shen Mingyuan packed up his case Materials, his expression calm. Another commission had reached a relatively Perfection resolution at the balance point of law and reason.

Zhao Dayou walked over with somewhat light steps, the wrinkles on his face smoothing out and then tightening again with emotion. He grabbed Shen Mingyuan's hand, his voice choked: "Lawyer Shen... thank you, thank you so much! If it weren't for you, at my age, I'm afraid... I'm afraid I really would have gone in... I, I really don't know how to thank you!"

Shen Mingyuan gently patted the back of his hand, his tone peaceful: "Master Zhao, don't mention it. This is the result of your own upright attitude and active cooperation. The law also has a warm side."

"I will, I will!" Zhao Dayou nodded repeatedly, wiping the corner of his eye with his rough hand. After the joy passed, a hint of loneliness appeared on his face: "It's just... 'Da Huang' has gone to the Zoo, and I don't know if it'll get used to it. After raising it for nearly a year, my heart feels a bit empty."

He hesitated for a moment, then gathered his courage and looked at Shen Mingyuan with a bit of earnestness and hope: "Lawyer Shen, if you're not busy right now... could you accompany me to the Zoo to see it? Just for a bit.

It's my treat! You know the law, so help me see if things there are really as good as they say... I, if I go alone, I won't feel at ease."

Shen Mingyuan looked at the simple man before him; that pure concern made it hard to refuse. He happened to have no other mandatory court appearances scheduled for this afternoon.

"Alright," Shen Mingyuan nodded decisively and picked up his briefcase. "Let's go; the timing is just right. I'll also take the opportunity to see the environment and professionalism of the Municipal Rescue Center."

Zhao Dayou hadn't expected Shen Mingyuan to agree so readily and was immediately overjoyed: "That's great! Thank you, Lawyer Shen! Let's go right now, right now!"

The two walked out of the court gates together, the afternoon sunlight spilling over them. Zhao Dayou was busy checking the bus route to the Zoo on his phone, muttering: "Which bus do I need to take..."

Shen Mingyuan smiled and gestured toward the parking lot: "Let's drive; it's more convenient."

"Ah! How can I let you do that, making you drive too..." Zhao Dayou felt even more embarrassed.

"It's on the way," Shen Mingyuan said, already stepping toward his car. Zhao Dayou hurried to follow, the worry on his face replaced by a sense of security now that he had someone to rely on.

The steps of the court were left behind, and the arguments over legal clauses were temporarily concluded. At this moment, they were just two ordinary people going to the Zoo to see an 'old friend.'

"Lawyer Shen, I'm really troubling you, making you take this trip," Zhao Dayou thanked him once again.

"It's on the way, no trouble at all," Shen Mingyuan kept his eyes on the road ahead, his tone steady. Soothing light music flowed through the car, temporarily dispelling the tension of the courtroom.

Just then, Shen Mingyuan's phone screen on the car mount lit up, accompanied by a vibration. He glanced at the caller ID—"Dr. Zhou (Municipal Wildlife Rescue Center)."

He remembered Dr. Zhou, a senior veterinary supervisor at the Rescue Center and a friend he had met through a public interest litigation case involving the illegal trade of rare birds. In the legal profession, one truly needs information channels in all walks of life.

"I'll take this call," Shen Mingyuan said to Zhao Dayou and pressed the answer button on the car's Bluetooth.

"Hello, Doctor Zhou?" The voice from the other end was not Dr. Zhou's usual steady tone, but rather hurried words mixed with noisy shouts, the panicked cries of animals, and some kind of chaotic running sound in the background: "Lawyer Shen!? Is that you? Thank God you answered!"

Shen Mingyuan's brow furrowed slightly. "It's me. Doctor Zhou, it sounds very chaotic on your end. What's happened?"

"Something big has happened! I don't know what's going on, but animals in several isolation areas in the center have, without any warning... suddenly their bodies swelled, and then they... they just exploded!

Like over-inflated balloons! Flesh and blood flying everywhere! We have no idea what the cause is! The whole center is in chaos now; we're in the middle of an emergency evacuation and investigation, but we have no idea who will be next... This is too bizarre! It's too dangerous!"

Dr. Zhou's voice was full of shock, confusion, and a forced professional composure.

"What?!" Shen Mingyuan's eyes instantly sharpened, and he involuntarily sat up straighter. "Animals... self-exploding? Which animals specifically? Are there any human casualties?"

Zhao Dayou, who had been lost in thought listening to the music in the passenger seat, suddenly heard words like "exploded" and "flesh and blood flying." Seeing Shen Mingyuan's sudden change in expression, his heart leaped into his throat, especially when he thought of 'Da Huang' who had just been sent there.

"Lawyer S-Shen... what's wrong? What exploded? Is it... is it over at the Zoo?" Zhao Dayou's voice trembled, and he subconsciously grabbed the handle on the car door.

Shen Mingyuan raised his hand to signal him to stay calm and continued listening to the call.

Dr. Zhou answered quickly: "So far, it's three red foxes, one raccoon, and... and two macaws! All were individuals that seemed fine earlier today! The staff reacted quickly, so no one is seriously injured yet, but everyone is terrified. The scene... the scene is unbearable! We suspect it might be some kind of collective acute infectious disease or poisoning, but this is just too..."

"What about the python?" Shen Mingyuan interrupted Dr. Zhou, asking the question Zhao Dayou was most concerned about and which had also flashed through his own mind. "The Golden Python transferred this morning—the ID number might not be entered yet—it's in the python area. How is it?"

There was a pause on the other end, followed by the muffled sound of Dr. Zhou flipping through records or asking someone else. A few seconds later, he replied: "The python? Oh, you mean the new Burmese Python? It's fine for now!

The python area is some distance from the areas where the incidents occurred. There are no reports of abnormalities there currently, but we are moving all animals to a safer backup isolation area, and it's on the list."

Hearing "fine for now," both Shen Mingyuan and the eavesdropping Zhao Dayou let out a small sigh of relief, but it was only "for now."

"Doctor Zhou, focus on ensuring personnel safety and controlling the situation first. Try to isolate all potentially affected animal individuals, including those that look healthy."

Shen Mingyuan quickly offered advice, his tone cold. "Have you notified the CDC and the police? Also, were there any unusual smells, residues, or unusual visitor records at the scene before this?"

"They've all been notified and are on their way. Abnormalities... besides these horrific 'explosions,' we haven't found any other obvious anomalies yet. Visitor records... this morning, besides your transfer procedure, it was just routine inspections and feedings..." Dr. Zhou's voice sounded overwhelmed. "Lawyer Shen, this is too fishy. I keep feeling... it doesn't seem like a normal plague."

"Stay alert. I'll be there soon," Shen Mingyuan said deeply. "You're coming here? It's very dangerous right now!"

"I know. I have a client who is very concerned about the condition of that python, and we were already on our way. Besides," Shen Mingyuan paused, his gaze calm, "as a lawyer, sometimes I need to see the scene with my own eyes. Keep in touch and stay safe."

When he hung up, the music in the car had already automatically paused, and the atmosphere was heavy.

"Lawyer S-Shen..." Zhao Dayou's face was pale. "'Da Huang'... is it really okay? How could those animals... how could they just explode? Are we... are we still going?"

Shen Mingyuan didn't answer immediately. He stared ahead, but his foot on the accelerator unknowingly pressed harder. The engine emitted a lower hum, and the car's speed quietly increased as it nimbly overtook the vehicles in front.

"Yes," he said briefly and firmly, his voice carrying an unquestionable determination. "You're worried about 'Da Huang,' so we have to go and confirm its safety even more. And," he glanced at the rearview mirror, his eyes sharp, "that place needs everyone who can stay calm right now."