As the blood orchid appeared on the screen, the previously bustling livestream chat instantly fell silent.
It was simply too beautiful.
Its crystalline leaves, like red agate, and its petals, as brilliant as rubies, were as crimson as blood, both alluring and mysterious.
The morning dew sprinkled upon it made it seem like a vibrant work of art.
With just one glance, everyone's attention was captivated.
Even the knowledgeable Teacher Xiao Liang was no exception.
Only Yang Lin, standing discreetly out of the camera's view, couldn't help but reveal a slight smile.
He had gone to great lengths to create this scene, not only choosing such a feng shui-blessed spot but also bringing a large stone specifically to complement the blood orchid's aura.
Combined with the light at this particular time of day, the already stunningly beautiful blood orchid appeared as if it had been given a beauty filter.
"Little ones, still not mesmerized?"
After an unknown amount of time, the long-silent chat began to liven up again.
"Holy cow, what is that? Is it fake?"
"Are there plants with this color in nature?"
"Cameraman, zoom in closer, I want to see more clearly."
"Was blood spilled on it? The color is too much like blood."
"Beautiful. I can only think of these two words. No other adjectives come to mind."
"Where's Teacher Xiao Liang? Does he know what this thing is?"
"I don't know what kind of plant it is, but it's definitely rare. With my knowledge of botany, I can't even name it. It's definitely a completely new species never discovered before."
"This single plant must be worth tens of thousands of yuan."
"Tens of thousands? Do you know how much the most expensive ghost orchid in the world costs? Ten million yuan! There are only about 2,000 of them worldwide."
"So, does this plant look like a courtyard house in the capital?"
"Whoa, is it that exaggerated?"
"Reality is even more exaggerated than that, if this is a unique specimen."
...
As everyone discussed excitedly, Teacher Xiao Liang cautiously approached the blood orchid by the stream.
When he was about two meters away from the blood orchid, he dared not move any closer.
He took a deep breath and then signaled the cameraman to follow him.
After gathering his thoughts for a while, he finally spoke.
"Dear fans, I believe that today, like all of you, I am witnessing the discovery of a new species."
"I can state with absolute certainty that I have never seen such a blood-red orchid in any book or document before this."
As soon as Teacher Xiao Liang finished speaking, a wave of exclamation swept through the livestream chat again.
Undoubtedly, Teacher Xiao Liang's words fully confirmed their earlier suspicions.
What was before them was not an artificial creation, nor was it vegetation stained with blood, but a new species never before discovered by humans.
This was an extremely significant discovery for the entire biological world.
"Xihong Zoo has hit the jackpot this time. This blood orchid will at least be classified as a Class 1 protected plant."
"Even Class 1 is an understatement. I think a special level should be created, because this blood orchid might be the only one of its kind in the world."
"I wonder if it's a mutation, or a unique specimen that has been passed down from ancient times, existing in isolation."
"Let's see what Teacher Xiao Liang says."
...
"Director Yang, did you discover this orchid when you came here before?"
By the stream, Teacher Xiao Liang, looking nervously at the blood orchid, asked Yang Lin.
Yang Lin, who had anticipated this question, showed no guilt.
"No, I don't come here often. I've never been to this area before, so I didn't find any blood orchids here."
"However, this area has always been in its current state. It wasn't modified during the previous renovations, so I believe the blood orchids have always been here, perhaps for hundreds or even thousands of years."
Teacher Xiao Liang nodded upon hearing Yang Lin's answer.
"Typical orchids can live for 5 to 6 years. Old mother plants will produce new shoots before they die."
"So, this one is very likely a division from who knows how many years ago."
"I wonder if there are any others nearby. I'd like to look around."
He then led the cameraman and Yang Lin to search the vicinity.
After more than ten minutes of searching, they found two more specimens around the stream.
Adding the one found earlier, there were a total of three. At this point, everyone finally confirmed that this blood orchid was not a mutated variety, but a genuine, completely new species.
Even the experienced Teacher Xiao Liang was at a loss as to how to handle these three incredibly precious blood orchids.
In his opinion, these three might be the only blood orchids left in the world.
If anything were to go wrong, he would be a sinner to humanity.
Therefore, let alone moving them for research, he didn't even dare to touch them or sneeze in their direction.
He had no choice but to turn his gaze to Yang Lin.
"Director Yang, what do you think we should do with these three blood orchids? Should we hand them over to the Rare Plant Research Institute, or leave them here?"
Yang Lin was not surprised by his question.
"I think since only this place still harbors blood orchids, it indicates that the natural environment here is very suitable for their growth. Moving them rashly might lead to irreversible losses."
"And I think leaving them here is actually quite safe, don't you agree?"
As soon as Yang Lin voiced this idea, everyone felt a sudden enlightenment.
"That's right! I think Director Yang makes a lot of sense. Isn't this place about to be designated as a nature reserve? Why move them? Isn't a reserve meant to protect rare flora and fauna?"
"Makes sense. It's another reason to build a nature reserve."
"And I believe Xihong Zoo's security should be quite adequate. This Gou Xiong Ling is full of bears, and there are layers of ecological fences outside. No one can get in."
"I heard the 'Paw Patrol' has expanded again, and now they have over a hundred dogs. With such a force, who would dare to steal the blood orchids?"
"If they stay at Xihong Zoo, we'll have a chance to admire them in the future. If they're sent elsewhere for protection, we might never see them again in our lifetime."
"Hurry up and build the nature reserve, otherwise I'm afraid too many bad people will come."
"What kind of luck does Director Yang have? This is no different from finding a thousand-year-old Ganoderma in a vegetable garden."
With the appearance of the blood orchids, the construction of the Xihong Nature Reserve gained further momentum.