C21 I will Laugh at You If I Catch You(2)

Rui crouched next to Shen Xiang, both of them peering into the sewer.

"Intuition," he said. Just as the word left his lips, something caught his eye. He plucked a cat hair wedged in a crevice and held it up for Rui to see.

"Seriously, who's the real human here?" Rui muttered, clearly impressed by Shen Xiang's 'intuition' and keen eye.

She took the hair, held it to her nose, and inhaled a faint scent—the scent of the cat that had trespassed in her territory. She knew she wouldn't be able to pick up on this scent from a distance.

"That's the one."

Rui nodded, then tugged Shen Xiang toward the sidewalk. "Thanks for your help. We'll take it from here. Daytime isn't the right time for any action."

She gestured around them. The area wasn't bustling, but it was residential, dotted with surveillance cameras. A fight here would undoubtedly draw the attention of the special office.

Her ability to hide wouldn't serve her well in daylight.

Action would have to wait until night.

Besides, the sewers were rat territory. If they focused on this area, they could easily pinpoint their target. Master Shu would likely have a solution. As for the conflicts... She glanced at Shen Xiang, knowing these matters were not for him to be involved in.

"I need to sort out a few things, so I'll be away for a bit. You head home, and take care of Ann for me," she instructed, pausing briefly. "And don't just let him play—make sure he hits the books."

It felt odd, like a mother scolding her child. If Little Pingan weren't a different breed, I might mistake him for your son.

"Okay, I'll head back. And you..." Shen Xiang's voice trailed off, then he added with concern, "Stay safe."

"Got it."

Shen Xiang turned to leave.

"Wait."

He halted.

"I need to borrow your phone. I let Ann play with mine."

"Oh." Shen Xiang had thought she was stopping him for another reason. He tossed his phone back to her, cautioning, "Just don't break it."

"Got it." Rui effortlessly caught the phone from mid-air and glanced at the screen—password 336699. Unlocked in an instant.

Typical, too lazy to change her password.

Don't assume we pets can't remember your codes; we're always watching.

A smirk played at the corner of her mouth as she dialed a number. "Master Shu, it's me. We've got a situation."

"Ah, Shen's back!"

With the adults gone, Ann surely wouldn't just quietly play at home. He switched on the automatic cat toy Shen Xiang had left out and amused himself alone, thoroughly enjoying his own company...

Upon seeing the toilet paper strewn across the floor, Shen Xiang's eyebrows twitched involuntarily. No matter how adorable the kid, he was still a little rascal.

At least he hadn't wrecked the furniture; he knew some limits.

"I'm back. Your big sister had to step out for a bit."

"Oh~ Big Sister is always so busy." Ann stopped his playful scuffle with the toy when he saw Shen Xiang return. He trotted over, nuzzled his head against Shen's chest, and asked, "Shen, will you play with me?"

"Not feeling up to it right now."

Shen Xiang sank back into the couch, pondering. 'Rui should be able to handle it, right? She seems capable. But then again, there's always the chance of running into Wild and his crew.'

He recalled Ann's battered state from the night before. Such severe injuries didn't come from a one-sided fight. Did that mean Rui was in danger too?

The memory of finding that clump of cat fur and the pain it brought made Shen's face darken.

"Is Shen not happy?"

Ann sidled up to Shen, placing a hand on his head and gently rubbing. "When I'm unhappy, Big Sister rubs me. Let me try it on you. Does that make you feel better?"

Wow, you're truly a little angel. If only you were a kitten, I'd hold you and pet you nonstop.

Shen Xiang inhaled deeply and said, "I'm just tired from not sleeping much."

What more could he do? As worried as he was, all he could do was wait at home for news. Concerns like these were beyond the scope of an ordinary person like him.

Should we call the special office?

What if they end up capturing Rui as well?

To tell you the truth, we've got a solid bond with the Koreans; making this decision is tough.

"Guess we'll just have to sleep on it," Ann suggested, resting his hands gently on Shen Xiang's head. "Snore, snore, snore—time for a snooze."

His cat ears quivered in unison.

Hold on.

Cat ears?

An idea struck Shen Xiang, and he turned to Ann. "Can you fight?"

"I sure can!" Ann's eyes sparkled with enthusiasm. "I'm a formidable fighter. No one can take me down—except for Rui. And I'm not just boasting. Last night, I must've clawed that big yellow dog dozens of times! If it hadn't been for that blasted lizard teaming up on me, I would've had him beat."

His cat ears drooped as he continued, "If only I were stronger, I could've taken out that lizard too. Then we wouldn't have had to flee. Rui took out three of them; she was so close to wiping them all out. She only retreated to save me. I wonder where Sister Ling and Master Shu are now."

"You're really that good at fighting?"

"Absolutely! I've never lost a one-on-one fight—well, except to Rui. She's too sly. I can never find her, and when I do, it's just me getting pummeled."

Inspired, Shen Xiang went back to the storage room and dug out an inflatable hammer. After inflating it fully, he presented it to Ann. "Let's play a game, a sparring game. But we need to set some ground rules: I'll use this inflatable hammer, and you need to retract your claws and teeth. No actual hurting allowed."

Ann roared with excitement, bouncing on his paws. Fighting was his favorite.

"You've got to fight like a cat, though."

"Obviously. I don't know any dog fighting moves."

Ann examined his paws, concerned he might accidentally injure Shen Xiang. He borrowed a pair of plastic gloves and a mask to cover his sharp fangs.

Then he crouched down on all fours, arching his back, and began to circle Shen Xiang.

"Run Command Prompt."

"Shen, here I come!" Ann's pupils narrowed into slits, and he exhaled a hot, steamy breath, his fervor practically steaming off him.

"If I catch you, I'm gonna give you a lick!"

"What?!"