He couldn’t wait any longer.
“I’ll go with you,” Fu Qian said.
Shang Xuci turned to Xu Huai. “Please follow up on this matter first.”
Xu Huai nodded. “Don’t worry.”
About forty minutes later, Shang Xuci and his men arrived at the scene.
The surroundings were quiet and deserted.
The car was mangled from the collision, the asphalt littered with snow pears, scattered bullet casings, and a crushed walkie-talkie.
From the windows to the windshield to the hood, messy cat paw prints trailed across the surface.
Shang Xuci’s face was gloomy, his lips pressed tightly together. Without hesitation, he approached the car window and called out to Sui Sui.
Fu Qian shot a glance at the bodyguards behind him. One group blocked Shang Xuci’s way, while another fanned out to survey the area.
They were on a winding mountain path leading to V City, a forested road that was rarely traveled. But now, it was eerily silent.
A sudden gust of wind rustled the branches. Then, a flock of birds burst out of the woods ahead, wings flapping furiously as they let out sharp, rapid cries.
One bodyguard caught a faint sound beneath the noise—he instantly recognized it as the muffled shot of a wooden cannon.
“They’re ahead.”
Shang Xuci, disregarding the danger, pressed forward.
After the sniper eliminated the last enemy marksman with a single shot, a group of figures came into view. He reported to his captain with calm leisure.
The mercenary leader gestured to the bald man, who nodded and stepped forward with his equipment.
Shang Xuci’s first words upon seeing him were: “Where’s my cat?”
The bald man froze.
When he realized what Shang Xuci meant, his expression darkened and he lowered his head.
Shang Xuci stared at him, his heart sinking.
“Sorry, Boss,” the bald man said in broken Chinese. “The cat disappeared when the fighting started. It must have gotten scared and ran.”
Ran away?
Fu Qian subconsciously glanced at Shang Xuci. The man stood motionless, expression blank, his face pale and his breath shaky and uneven.
The mercenary captain drew back. Their goal had always been to protect Shang Xuci, and though they had succeeded, the situation remained unresolved.
“Boss, don’t worry. We’ve already sent a small team to search for the cat.” Although they had gained the upper hand in this battle and captured the enemy, the opposing force’s numbers were unknown, and they clearly knew the terrain better. The weather was turning grim, a storm brewing overhead—they had to withdraw.
The captain made his decision at once. “Retreat now.”
Shang Xuci checked Sui Sui’s GPS tracker. The little creature was still nearby, unmoving. He worried the cat might be injured.
He wanted to search immediately, but his instincts warned him not to linger. Just as he hesitated, a familiar meow rose from the bushes.
Shang Xuci instantly recognized Sui Sui’s voice. In the next moment, the white cat, like a flash of lightning, leapt into his arms.
As the car door shut, man and cat clung tightly to one another.
The large white cat wrapped its paws around his neck, purring softly. Shang Xuci could feel the rapid, nervous rhythm of its breathing.
He paid no mind to the stains the cat left on his white shirt. Carefully, he lifted one paw and examined Sui Sui’s body inch by inch. Aside from a ruffled mess of fur, there were no wounds. Relief washed over him.
“Why are you messing around like this…”
“Meow!” The cat pressed its head against his mouth, as if begging for mercy.
Shang Xuci’s heart softened. “Forget it. Let’s go back first.” They weren’t out of danger yet.
Freed from fear, the white cat purred even louder.
The crisis seemed averted—for now. Jian Xun watched the story unfold with satisfaction, only to be surprised when nothing changed.
Could there still be danger?
The cat’s drooping ears suddenly perked up. Its eyes widened, darting anxiously toward the window.
Meanwhile, the captain began reporting the situation.
Through the intercom, he confirmed the cars and their passengers. One car had been destroyed, and another had gone rogue—driving off without authorization.
“Driving off without permission?” Shang Xuci frowned, absently pinching Suisui’s paw pad.
A thought struck him. He quickly turned to Fu Qian. “Who is the other representative Shangjia sent?”
Fu Qian had noticed as well, though his focus had been fixed on Shang Xuci. Only now did he realize the full weight of it. After making a call to confirm, his expression stiffened. “It’s Shang Yi. He’s in the car we can’t reach.”
“Shang Yi? Why is he here?”
The deputy captain explained, “Once the battle started, he claimed to be your brother and insisted on riding in your car. He demanded the replacement vehicle. We couldn’t stop him in time… That car went out first as bait, but then we lost contact. We still don’t know what happened.”
Shang Xuci’s brows knitted. Before he could speak, Fu Qian cut in. “The person we sent earlier wasn’t Shang Yi.”
“I know. Back there—”
The prisoner in the front seat suddenly burst into wild laughter. He twisted around to glare at Shang Xuci and shouted, “You’re Shang Xuci, aren’t you? All that hard work finally paid off. Go to hell! Hahaha!”
The deputy captain in the passenger seat remained calm. “Ignore him. We checked him when he got in. He wasn’t carrying anything dangerous.”
But the captain’s expression darkened, his eyelids twitching. “Check again.”
“Yes, sir.”
The prisoner allowed the search with a grin, flashing his white teeth. He kept silent, his smug expression grating on everyone.
Jian Xun felt a wave of unease. In his mind, a red warning blared like a countdown.
Maomao’s head throbbed, his body tensed in alarm.
His instincts screamed the truth—this man was dangerous!
Sui Sui, The lion cat nestled in Shang Xuci’s arms, suddenly stood up. He hated himself for being just a speechless cat. All he could do was bite Shang Xuci’s clothes, tugging him toward the car door, meowing in panic.
The sudden movement jolted Shang Xuci’s senses. Sui Sui, who had been lying quietly in his arms since they got in the car, suddenly raised his voice and began meowing nonstop. He leapt onto the back seat, clawing at the window, his eyes wide with fear.
“Does the cat need to use the bathroom?”
The big white cat retorted with even more urgency. Meow, meow, meow!
“No…” Shang Xuci frowned. “Does Sui Sui want me to get out of the car?”
The big white cat’s meows softened.
Without another word, Shang Xuci ordered, “Pull over.”
They were still retreating when the driver asked uneasily, “Captain?”
The deputy captain finished searching and shook his head. But the captain, sharp-eyed, spotted a pattern on the prisoner’s chest and snapped decisively, “Pull over and get out, now!”
Normally it would have been humiliating to overreact—but there was no time for pride. The prisoner’s handcuffs were secured to the car, and the keys were likely in another vehicle. There was no room for hesitation.
One glance was enough. The deputy captain followed his superior’s gaze, saw the pattern, and his face went pale. Confirming the man’s identity, he cried out in horror, “Out! Get out now!”
They had run into a desperado.
The prisoner burst into laughter. “Too late!”
The captain signaled to the following cars to stay back and scatter.
A deafening blast shook the earth. The car exploded, a thick plume of smoke billowing outward, swallowing everything around it.
In the instant before the explosion, Shang Xuci felt the cat in his arms wriggle free like a loach. The next moment, as the blast erupted, something furry slammed against his back, a powerful force hurling him forward.
The big white cat was struck by flying shrapnel, its body flung aside like a severed kite.
The alarm in its mind went silent. Relaxing at last, the cat closed its eyes.
When Shang Xuci realized the cat had shielded his back, his heart nearly stopped. He turned and saw the snow-white fur gradually staining scarlet. The metallic scent of blood filled the air, suffocating him.
His pulse thundered in his ears.
Nearby, bodyguards lay sprawled, bleeding heavily. The survivors who had evaded the blast held their noses, warily scanning the smoke-filled surroundings.
Shang Xuci’s legs trembled from the shock, his ears ringing. His gaze locked on the cat slumped before him. The snow-white body was stiff and motionless.
His mind went blank, as if the explosion had shattered his very thoughts.
He wanted to reach out, to hold the cat—but he couldn’t move.
He heard someone calling his name, along with the sound of chaotic footsteps—distant, slow, almost unreal.
A full minute passed before Shang Xuci finally returned to reality. His heart began to beat again, heavy and sluggish. Fu Qian was beside him, anxiously calling his name. When Shang Xuci came to his senses, his parched lips formed only one word: “Cat.”
Fu Qian understood immediately. He hurried to pick up the cat, but when he saw its body covered in blood, he froze for a breath. His hands trembled as he checked for breathing.
It was faint—almost imperceptible.
Fu Qian gathered the cat into his arms and turned back to Shang Xuci. “It’s still alive.”
Someone helped Shang Xuci to his feet, and Fu Qian carefully let him touch the cat.
“Sui Sui…” Shang Xuci whispered.
The big white cat’s ears twitched. With effort, it cracked open its beautiful azure eyes. Trembling, it stretched out its front paws and pressed them gently against the man’s face, as if to comfort him.
“Mia~” The faint mewl was barely audible.
Fu Qian quickly placed the cat back into Shang Xuci’s arms. Looking up, he caught sight of a tear sliding down the corner of the man’s eye.
Shang Xuci held the cat close, his eyelashes trembling as he choked out a sob. “Don’t ever do that again.”
In one day, he had almost lost it—twice.
“Meow~”
Another faint sound, and the cat’s eyes drifted shut in exhaustion.
Shang Xuci clutched the cat tightly, his breath heavy, and waited for the private helicopter. Once it arrived, he carried the cat aboard.
Fu Qian said gravely, “Mr. Shang, leave the rest to me.”
“Thank you for your hard work.” Shang Xuci hadn’t expected that in order to kill him, they would resort to self-detonation—a terrorist’s tactic. Rage burned in his chest, but right now, the only thing that mattered was getting his cat to the hospital.
The mercenary captain sat in the back. Alive, though barely believing it, he closed his eyes for a brief rest. They were paid to fight, but none of them had expected to face such a desperate criminal. They were willing to risk their lives, but he couldn’t help wondering: what kind of reward could drive a man to madness like that?
He had thought death was certain. Even if he’d survived, he should have been gravely injured. Yet miraculously, he felt a shield of energy—soft, like a breeze—protecting him from the worst of the blast. He was left with only minor wounds, and no one in their vehicle had died.
If not for the cat, none of them would have survived.
The captain glanced at the gray cat curled obediently in its employer’s arms, ears drooping, body limp.
What a spiritual creature. No wonder the employer cared so deeply.
Jian Xun smacked his lips and closed his eyes. It seemed the plot had reached ninety percent.
The most dangerous part was over.
The big white cat relaxed in the man’s lap.
I’m so tired… still a little unwell.
The cat had been struck, but only bruised. The blood came from fragments of flesh hurled by the explosion.
At the last second, he had used his points to fortify his body and block the blow. The impact sent him crashing to the ground, leaving him dizzy and weak for a moment. But after resting, his strength returned. Shaking out his fur, he felt his energy restore—though he still wanted to lick the wounds clean.
Outside the window, blue skies and white clouds stretched endlessly, while inside, the cabin was luxurious and serene. The spacious, fully flat seats were upholstered in soft leather and fine fabrics, and a small minibar nearby was stocked with an assortment of drinks and snacks.
Exquisite artwork decorated the walls, and the faint scent of perfume lingered in the air, creating a relaxing atmosphere.
The large white cat gazed out the window, then lowered its eyes. Its legs were no longer sticky—clean and soft once again.
Am I on a plane?
How long have I been asleep?
Why is it daybreak again?
Lifting his head, Jian Xun spotted Shang Xuci resting with his eyes closed. He placed a paw on the man’s stomach and gently rubbed his head against him.
Shang Xuci stirred, startled awake by the little creature’s movements. He looked down at the cat in his arms, then reached out to pinch its paw pads while his other hand stroked it from head to tail.
“Meow~”
Are we going back now?
But my things are still at the hotel!
The big white cat tucked its tail between its legs, looking aggrieved.
“Let’s go home,” Shang Xuci murmured, stroking the cat’s head.
But… my stuff…
The cat drooped its tail, pouting slightly as it continued staring out the window. He’d have to contact the hotel to see if they could ship the belongings back.
Still, this trip hadn’t been in vain—he had saved the big guy. Even if his plot points weren’t maxed out, at least his life was no longer in danger, and his Darkness stat had reset to zero.
Jian Xun instantly brightened. His big, clear blue eyes sparkled as he meowed at Shang Xuci. He didn’t dare be too loud, afraid of disturbing the others, so he let out a soft, coquettish sound and rolled over, baring his belly for a pat.
Shang Xuci didn’t touch his belly.
Instead, he rested his slender fingers on the cat’s head, gazing at him thoughtfully.
“Sui Sui, explain why you’re abroad?”
The big white cat froze.