C3 The Abnormalities in the Night

Having a girlfriend was, to Shen Xiang, an exceedingly troublesome affair. Their behaviors, gestures, and words lacked any discernible pattern, rendering his automated proxy system useless for managing such unpredictable, mood-driven beings.

His previous girlfriend had made the first move back in college. Despite Shen Xiang's odd mannerisms, his striking appearance had drawn many an admiring glance. Initially intrigued, he gave the relationship a shot. It was manageable at first, but he quickly grew weary. A real-life girlfriend proved far more complicated than their fictional counterparts on TV or in novels, demanding attention and emotional accommodation that disrupted his laid-back lifestyle.

Shen wasn't the type to callously discard someone once bored. In fact, it was his girlfriend who ended things, and in bed no less.

The reason? He had simply been multitasking a bit too much, juggling domestic responsibilities with an interest in national affairs. A momentary distraction, that's all.

Regrettably, the system wasn't equipped to charm women. Shen made an attempt to salvage the relationship, but when that failed, he let it go, realizing that perhaps his life was better off without a romantic partner for the time being.

Liu Yixin, or Chair Liu, left in disappointment. Shen Xiang couldn't do much about it; he wasn't interested in her. She wasn't unattractive—in fact, she had a playful charm and a trendy online influencer style that garnered her a slew of followers. But she wasn't interested in a relationship, and Shen certainly didn't want to complicate his already busy life with another person.

A straightforward rejection was preferable to any other reaction. He just hoped it wouldn't lead to any future workplace retaliation, considering how good his job was.

"Activate the after-dinner walk mode," Shen commanded his automatic agent.

Stepping out of the restaurant, he grabbed his phone, donned his earphones, and re-engaged the autopilot of his life.

Using a proxy to hang up on life was addictive, akin to relying on GPS for a familiar commute. It was a paradoxical cycle where the more you used it, the more dependent you became, and the more dependent you became, the more you needed it. Laziness, after all, was a prime mover of technological progress. Why regress when you have the tools at your disposal? It's like being accustomed to a full-screen smartphone and then being presented with an iPhone SE2. I could list a hundred reasons why it's great, but I just won't buy it.

The routine for the post-dinner stroll involved circling a street near the neighborhood six times, each lap taking about ten minutes, totaling roughly an hour. Running would have been more effective and quicker, but with a full stomach, the risk of appendicitis and its unbearable pain was too high.

Besides, that time was usually reserved for anime watching.

Oh! The splendor of the Four-Palace competition! The allure of a bashful girl is truly undeniable.

"Shh! Keep it down! Someone's coming!"

Two shadowy figures skulked in the grove beside the road, pressing down on the man who was frantically digging with his hands at the sound of approaching footsteps.

A man with earphones and a phone in hand seemed oblivious to their presence as he walked by them at a steady pace.

The one with the sharper voice prodded, "Hurry up, dig faster. We still can't find what you buried here. If we're discovered, we're in deep trouble."

"Someone's been peeing here," the other figure remarked, his stance odd, like a dog on all fours, gloved hands mimicking paws as he scraped at the earth.

"Didn't you mark it? You can't even recognize your own scent?" the sharp-voiced man chided, squatting beside him like a foreman, urging him on, "If we lose this, the boss will have our heads. And those freaks from the special office nearly cornered us last time. You can't even hide something properly."

"Who knew humans were this dull, fertilizing here of all places! This is supposed to be a green space!"

"Fertilizing? They're just urinating and defecating willy-nilly!"

"Exactly, urinating and defecating everywhere," the digger said, as if a light bulb went off, "Humans truly lack decency."

"And you, a dog, are the epitome of decency?" the sharp man retorted, scanning the surroundings. Hearing footsteps once more, he pressed his companion, whispering, "Shh."

He cautiously eyed the roadside, spotting the same man returning, phone and earphones in place, gaze unswerving.

"Keep going."

He gave his partner a nudge, signaling him to keep on digging.

"Right."

But the search was proving fruitless. The digger kept moving from spot to spot, yet they couldn't find what they were after. Meanwhile, the man pacing up and down the street, glued to his phone, was starting to raise their suspicions.

"Damn, what's with that guy? How many times can you walk the same stretch of road? Just staring at his phone. Why doesn't he just walk into a pole or something?"

Their work kept getting interrupted, which was getting on their nerves. The man with the piercing voice snapped, "I'll go deal with him. You focus on the search, and make it quick. The special office goons could show up any minute, and I'm not looking to get cornered again. It was a miracle we got away last time, especially with you slowing us down."

"Yeah, yeah, I got it."

Brushing off his clothes, he stepped out from the shadows and into the light, revealing his features—a sleazy look with unusually wide-set, bulging eyes.

He pulled out a pair of sunglasses from his pocket, hiding his distinctive eyes, and scanned the area. Sure enough, he spotted the odd man approaching with his phone in hand.

With a grunt, he shoved his hands into his pockets and sauntered towards the man, intent on scaring him off.

Closing in.

[What's so fascinating that he's lost in it? Is the guy off his rocker?]

"Hey, you!" The sharp-voiced man tried to sound tough, reaching out to grab the man's shoulder. "Wandering around in the middle of the night..."

What the?

As his hand nearly made contact, the phone-gazing man, as if he had foreseen the move, nimbly sidestepped. He twirled around like a graceful butterfly, slipping behind him and continuing down the street.

What in the world?

The sharp man's pupils bulged even more behind his sunglasses. This man unsettled him; he couldn't shake the feeling that something was off. He didn't believe in bad omens, but he followed, attempting to snatch the man's earphones. This time, however, it was as if the man had eyes in the back of his head, dodging at the last moment, yet still seemingly engrossed in an animated show.

A shiver ran down his spine, and the sharp man was overcome with an ominous sense that this man had been aware of them all along, yet remained silent, almost as if he was toying with them, playing with their minds.

"Whose side are you on? The special office or Rui's crew?"

The man with protruding eyes lowered his voice to a hiss, his forked tongue involuntarily flicking out as he fixed a predatory gaze on the man walking ahead of him.

Black scales began to creep over his hands, his fingernails morphing into black, hardened, hook-like weapons.

"Boss Xi! I've found it! It's..."

"Found it?"

Upon hearing a naive voice from inside, the creature known as Boss Xi withdrew his fangs. He gave up on the previous individual and, ensuring no one else was around, quickly retreated into the shadows, breathing a sigh of relief. "Good that it's found. This is the latest experimental drug, a miraculous substance that can bring us more allies. If we lost it or the special office got their hands on it, it would be a fatal blow to us... Huh?"

He snatched the silver vial from the other's dirt-covered hand. The vial was intact, but the red liquid that should have filled it was completely gone.

"Could a stray cat or dog have taken it? This isn't a hole I dug. Maybe someone else unearthed it and reburied it," the man who had been digging speculated meekly, only to receive a slap on the head from Boss Xi who retorted, "Can your stray cats or dogs open a vial like this? Clearly, that's not within their capabilities."

"We can't retrieve the drug, but we must at least bring back whatever consumed it, dead or alive. This is critical. If we botch this, neither of us will make it out alive."

Despite his frustration, Boss Xi's thoughts returned to the odd man from earlier.

What if he wasn't just looking at his phone?

What if he had been watching us the whole time?

Could he be the thief?

"Following a series is such agony, having to wait a whole week."

After his automatic walk was complete, Shen Xiang arrived at his doorstep. He had just finished the three episodes of the anime he'd saved, and his stomach was feeling much better, the bloating now gone. He stretched languidly, waved to the security guard at the gate, and headed into his home.

Shen Xiang actually had quite decent material conditions.

Born into a family where his parents profited from the demolition boom, they sold a house and retired to his grandmother's rural village. There, they built themselves a villa and settled into an idyllic life of tending to the land and nurturing flowers, content to leave the hustle of B City behind and savor their tranquil existence. As for Shen, he had two properties to his name. One he'd leased to a branded apartment complex, entrusting them with full management, which netted him an extra 6,500 yuan in rent each month.

"Meow~"

Having stayed up late watching anime, Shen didn't rely on the automatic proxy and instead made his way downstairs. A pained meow caught his attention. Turning, he spotted what seemed to be a pregnant orange tabby, its belly absurdly swollen, as if it were about to give birth, lying next to an overturned wet trash bin.

In the city's wildlife hierarchy, wildcats undoubtedly reign supreme, sometimes even becoming ecological disruptors. Most are adept hunters, capable of finding their own food. Yet, those who feed them outdoors still view these felines as adorable creatures, seemingly forgetting the innate cruelty and cold-blooded nature of these feline predators.

Shen had once bought a cat, a Ragdoll with striking blue eyes, as a companion to stave off loneliness. But the upkeep—scooping litter, vet visits that cost hundreds with no insurance coverage—proved too burdensome. Like with a girlfriend, he grumbled about the hassle but was too lazy to make a change. In the end, it was the cat that left him, slipping out the window one night.

And with its departure, several kilograms of cat food and a portion of its toys vanished. Today's cats were clever enough to pack for their own runaway adventures, it seemed.

He had posted missing cat flyers but to no avail. Eventually, Shen let go of the search. He never got another pet, settling instead for the occasional online cat-petting session when the mood struck him.

Reflecting on it brought a tinge of sadness. He had thought their shared experiences would bond them as lifelong friends, but it wasn't to be.

Exhaling a sigh, Shen pulled himself from his reverie. He spared no further glance at the stray and proceeded to punch in the code to the iron gate of the corridor. With a crisp click, the door swung open, and he stepped inside.

Unaware as he entered the building, he didn't notice the large orange cat with a swollen belly, its emerald eyes locked intently on his retreating figure. The cat's back arched as it emitted a low, rumbling purr.

Drool from its mouth mingled with the damp refuse, giving off a foul stench.