C13 The Night in the City(2)

"Little wildcat Ruila."

Xi Yijia faced Ruila without a hint of guilt, declaring, "We've conceded this turf to you not out of fear, but to avoid a kin-on-kin bloodbath that would only amuse the humans. Hand over what I'm here for. This time, we can keep to our own paths, but if you push your luck, don't expect us to be courteous."

Suddenly, five rats darted to the feet of the man in the rat mask. He glanced down, gave a squeak, and the rats scattered in relief as he spoke in a sleazy tone, "Big Sis, you're still hiding five."

"Understood."

Rui stepped forward, addressing Xi Yijia who was shouting from thirty meters away, "Since when is a cat of the same breed as a lizard like you? And whatever it is you want, I'm clueless."

Huang, unable to resist, taunted, "Woof woof!"

"Quit feigning ignorance," Xi Yijia scoffed. "You think you can steal from us and stay hidden? Do you take us for fools? Your little games are transparent to me. If you won't drink to courtesy, then we'll let nature's law prevail—the survival of the fittest! Huang, attack!"

With a howl, the big yellow dog sprang into action, charging on all fours. Meanwhile, the civet cat behind Rui couldn't contain its primal urges, also hitting the ground on all fours, arching its back, and snarling as it lunged at Huang.

"Brother Ann really can't hold back, can he? Big Sis, the fifth tree to your right rear."

"In the shadow at the left corner." "Behind the restaurant sign at nine o'clock." "Behind the tree at two o'clock." "And one more behind that lizard."

The rat-faced man rapidly called out five locations, and Rui flicked six fishbones from her fingers. With a swift motion, she sent the sharp projectiles flying towards the reported spots!

"Ling."

"I hear you, Rui." The girl with the bird mask behind her whistled, filling the silent night with the chirping of birds. After a moment of listening, she announced, "Three minutes, at most."

"That's enough," Rui declared, twisting her neck to reveal her sharp claws and fangs before disappearing into the night's embrace.

Moments later, the night was shattered by the haunting cry of a goose—an unsettling image, to say the least.

In the urban ecosystem, cats reigned supreme. Frogs, birds, fish, and small mammals—all were fair game to their predatory instincts.

Many found it hard to believe that these seemingly pitiful stray cats could be ruthless killers of nature. They appeared too frail, barely capable of defending themselves, let alone hunting. They seemed more suited to scavenging through trash than stalking live prey. Yet, the reality was that their diet consisted of approximately 60% mammals and 25% birds, with the remainder being fish and refuse.

These felines were born hunters, their soft paw pads and explosive power making them stealthy assassins of the shadows. Their hunting was often not out of hunger but for sheer amusement. Coupled with their adorable appearance and less than appealing taste, humans—their biggest predators—often looked upon them with sympathy, allowing them to thrive in cities worldwide.

The issue of feral cats sparked heated debates among animal rights activists and environmentalists abroad, lasting days and nights. Things were somewhat calmer domestically, as people were more focused on their own lives, without the luxury of engaging in such passionate disputes. Of course, the problem wasn't solely due to the cats' own breeding; human abandonment played an unavoidable role in their burgeoning numbers.

Leaning on the balcony, Shen Xiang watched two stray cats stealthily move around a trash can in the distance, his mind wandering to deeper questions: Could a feline really defeat a canine in battle?

He recalled a tale of a Canadian cat that took down seven pitbulls in under a minute. But when it came down to it, an animal's combat prowess was usually proportional to its size. If they were of equal stature, a canine would likely be no match for a feline, who are typically apex predators within their size class.

Could Rui stand a chance against that yellow dog, Huang?

Both were in human form now, which should minimize the size disparity.

They should be able to fight, right?

For some reason, Shen Xiang couldn't shake a growing concern for the other party, sensing that it might be the cat he once cared for, now transformed.

Suddenly, the peace of the night was broken by the urgent blare of sirens. Shen Xiang looked up to see several police cars speeding past the neighborhood.

Had there been an incident?

Was it connected to that matter?

His brow furrowed in concern. At 1:30 in the morning, for the police to be on the move with such urgency, it was certainly no trivial affair.

"Knock, knock, knock!"

"Knock, knock, knock!"

The persistent knocking at the door caused his heart to miss a beat. He returned to the living room, gripping the newly purchased baseball bat, and cautiously peered through the peephole.

It was the woman known as Rui.

"Who's there?"

"It's me, we met earlier today."

"What do you want?"

"There's an urgent matter. Please, open the door."

Considering the possibility that he might have once taken care of her, Shen Xiang ultimately decided to let her in.

"Step aside, please."

Rui entered, carrying someone who appeared to be on their last breath, and made a beeline for Shen Xiang's bedroom. Shocked, Shen Xiang hurried after her.

"What happened?"

He gazed at the figure now lying on the floor beside his bed—where the cat bed used to be.

This person had...

Cat ears!

Silver, color-shifting cat ears!

He examined the individual with delight. The person seemed to be a child, barely thirteen or fourteen, with shoulder-length hair, and facial features that were made even more adorable by the presence of cat ears.

Her clothes were tattered and torn, showing signs of bites and bloodstains, as if she had just survived a life-or-death struggle.

"The hounds from the special office are on our trail. We can't go back home for now," Rui explained as she removed her coat to reveal a white shirt underneath. She then ripped the shirt's hem to fashion a makeshift crop top and used the torn fabric as a bandage for the "little darling." Turning to Shen Xiang, she asked, "Do you have any first aid supplies? Anything for external wounds will do."

It wasn't until the woman's waist was exposed that Shen Xiang noticed a white, fluffy cat tail above her buttocks—hidden until now.

Shen Xiang's eyelids twitched. The cat tail looked strikingly familiar; it had a small gap in the middle, a scar left by an accidental burn from his father's cigarette.

I saw nothing, absolutely nothing.

Sister, I swear I never harmed you.