Chapter 16: This Cat’s Probing

Li You was sent out of the Sunlight Palace by Li Ye. He stood outside the palace hall and turned back to look at Li Ye, who stood not far behind with arms crossed.

When he turned back again, Little Black appeared by his side and opened its mouth to yawn at him.

“…” Li You looked at Little Black, which had drawn close to him, then turned to glance at Li Ye again.

That guy showed no expression and simply watched him quietly.

The tip of his tail was hooked by Little Black’s tail, and his face was lightly rubbed. As Li You endured the little monster’s affection, he belatedly realized why his brother had placed this little monster by his side.

It was probably to guard against Little Wan Sis.

Li Ye’s gaze fell on the cat. As he lifted his eyes and saw a figure approaching from afar, he no longer leaned against the door. Instead, he straightened up and slowly walked back into the palace hall.

Li You was rubbed until he felt itchy. When he turned back again, his brother’s figure was already gone. Just as he felt puzzled inside, a familiar voice sounded.

“Little Meow, Little Black, I’m here to take you home.”

Little Wan Sis’s voice was light and cheerful. She wore a white long skirt and was no longer in her garden work clothes. As for the clothes that the man from earlier had dropped, they were nowhere to be seen.

Li You looked at her, feeling a bit guilty inside, but he still stepped forward and circled her calf once. He lifted his head and let out “meow meow” calls.

“Sorry to keep you waiting. Planting flowers took a bit of time.” Little Wan Sis rubbed one cat head with each hand, put the chest harness on the Ragdoll Cat, then stood up. “Let’s go home. I’ll make you some cat food.”

Li You couldn’t help but swallow his saliva undignifiedly.

Cat food.

Little Wan Sis’s cat food was delicious.

The way back wasn’t far. After they arrived, Li You slipped into the cat house and waited for the cat food. In that interval, he tensed his mind and pondered how to communicate with Little Wan Sis.

After thinking it over, he reached a conclusion.

Impossible.

He couldn’t do it.

How could a cat communicate with a human? By “meowing”?

Humans couldn’t understand cat language anyway.

The only way was through the Light Brain’s pet communication mode, but how could he get Little Wan Sis’s Light Brain?

Li You huddled in his nest and thought of countermeasures. Little Black took on the duty of shadow guard and stood watch outside the nest.

Until Little Wan Sis brought in the cat food. The whole house full of cats clamored and swarmed forward noisily. Only then did Li You poke his head out and look at Little Wan Sis, who was surrounded by cats. His gaze fell on the wrist where she wore her Light Brain.

Li You crawled out of the nest and followed step by step. He elegantly stood by the side and waited until Little Wan Sis broke free from the cat crowd before approaching.

He received his portion of cat food, placed side by side with Little Black’s cat bowl. Little Wan Sis squatted nearby, hugging her knees as she watched him and Little Black.

Li You lightly twitched his nose, then lowered his head to take a bite of cat food. Little Black observed him from the side without moving.

After eating a few bites, Li You sensed the gaze. He lifted his head and turned, meeting Little Black’s clear eyes.

“…” He slowly swallowed the cat food in his mouth, raised his front paw, and pressed it on Little Black’s head, pushing its head toward the cat bowl, which was about the size of a face plate.

Little Black remained completely unmoved.

Li You panicked and glanced at Little Wan Sis.

She propped her chin, looking puzzled at Little Black, which wasn’t eating the cat food.

Time passed second by second. Finally, Little Black, with its head pressed down by the Ragdoll Cat, stuck out its tongue and licked a bit of cat food.

Little Wan Sis smiled brightly. “I thought my cat food didn’t suit Little Black’s taste.”

She no longer looked at the cats and stood up to leave the cat house.

Li You let out a big sigh of relief and released the paw stepping on the little monster’s head. He resentfully stared at the little monster, which had some cat food stuck on its nose tip and looked adorably dazed. He felt helpless inside.

Was this little monster of his brother a fool?

Little Black still stared blankly at the Ragdoll Cat. Sensing something on its nose, it stuck out its tongue to lick, but missed. It then looked blankly at Li You.

“…” Li You backed away two steps.

W-what was it looking at him for?

Little Black approached, brought its head close, and stopped just before its nose tip touched the Ragdoll Cat’s nose tip. It let out a soft “mew”.

Li You’s head tilted back. After a long while, he smacked his mouth but remained unmoved.

Little Black waited quietly, showing no intention of backing off.

Li You compromised. He stepped forward, licked off the cat food stuck on its nose, then padded a paw against it and pushed it away.

Alright, alright!!

It’s clean now!!

Li You shrank back to his own cat bowl. The little monster, about the same size as him, immediately scooted over and ate beside him.

Li You discovered that this little monster would glance at him after every few bites.

It was clearly learning how he ate.

No wonder it hadn’t reacted earlier—it just didn’t know how.

Li You tilted his head to observe Little Black. After pondering for a moment, he magnanimously taught it to groom its fur after eating.

Li You, who was a cat for the first time, taught the little monster, which had turned into a cat for the first time, how to groom. The scene was a bit bizarre. The two cats squatted together, taking turns licking each other. In the end, both cats’ fur was licked into a mess.

Master Li realized his teaching had gone off the rails. With a twisted expression, he burrowed back into his nest. Not long after, that little monster also burrowed in and squeezed together with him.

“…” Li You was completely unable to move.

Whatever. It was pretty warm.

He closed his eyes and continued to mull over his plans inside. Unknowingly, he fell asleep.

When he opened his eyes again, it was at dusk with the sun setting. Li You was stunned for a moment, then took a step forward. Suddenly, he sensed something wrong and looked down to see a pair of fair, slender legs.

He had turned back into a human.

No, to be precise, this was the Illusion Realm. Similar to the Imperial Palace rooftop last time.

Li You looked around but couldn’t tell what place this was.

It was a large flat space with an entire wall of floor-to-ceiling glass windows. Outside the windows were towering skyscrapers. From the view outside, this should be Prime Star.

Prime Star had changed so much.

Li You walked to the floor-to-ceiling window and gazed into the distance, placing one hand on the glass. His breath fogged up a shallow layer on it, and he drew a smiley face on it with his finger.

At that moment, a “click” sounded from behind—the password door lock unlocking. The noise stood out starkly in the empty silence. Li You’s shoulders shivered, and he turned back to meet the gaze of Li Ye, who had opened the door and entered.

Li Ye’s gaze lingered on Li You for a few seconds before shifting away. After entering and closing the door, he turned and walked toward another room.

Li You’s gaze followed his brother’s direction. After a moment, he quietly shuffled that way and leaned against the wall outside the room where his brother was, hands behind his back. He lowered his head in a daze and stared at his shoes.

He still wore that little formal suit from the Illusion Realm last time, and the leg ring still dug into his flesh.

Li You quietly listened to the movements in the room. There was no sound at all.

His hands nervously clenched and rubbed together. His shoe tip tapped lightly against the ground. He tilted his head toward the door and slowly turned to peek inside.

The room’s curtains were drawn, with only faint light filtering in. He saw his brother sitting in the booth, head lowered with eyes closed, as if asleep.

“…” Li You’s lips moved. He spoke softly, “Li Ye.”

No reaction.

He pursed his lips and said even more softly, “Bro.”

Li Ye opened his eyes and looked toward the door.

After just a few seconds of eye contact, Li You hurriedly shifted his gaze away. His hands behind his back fidgeted anxiously. Finally, he slowly shuffled inside, groping forward in the dim environment until he stopped not far from Li Ye.

There was nowhere to sit, so Li You simply sat on the nearby carpet, back against the booth, arms hugging his knees. He looked up at his brother, then quickly withdrew his gaze.

“I’m a fake, I know my place.” Li You spoke first, mumbling softly, “We win people over with virtue. I have a question for you. Listen first—if you can answer, do; if not, forget it.”

Li Ye turned his head to look at the youth sitting on the carpet beside him.

He looked seventeen or eighteen, exactly like Li You from the time he left. Even in the dim light, it couldn’t hide those beautiful eyes of his.

“You,” Li You looked up at his brother, “you clearly know who my… true body is, so why haven’t you made a move? Because I haven’t harmed humans? Or some other reason?”

Li Ye withdrew his gaze to avoid those clear eyes and countered, “Why do you dare to come ask me the reason, even though you know I know who your true body is?”

He glanced at the youth on the ground. “Didn’t you warn me not to forget Li You? You still haven’t answered my question from last time—why use Li You’s appearance?”

“I—” Li You’s eyelashes fluttered as he lowered his head.

He really didn’t know this one!

Why did Little Wan Sis use his appearance to warn Li Ye at the Sunlight Palace? And… why did she create this kind of Illusion Realm, letting him meet Li Ye here?

Without an answer, he couldn’t give the other side a reason either. Li You smacked his mouth, hugged his knees, and shifted to the side a bit, depressed as he said, “I can’t explain it to you.”

“Then I can’t answer your question either.”

Li You let out a soft “hmph,” buried his head in his knees, cheeks squished together. He grumbled inside that Li Ye was a big bad egg.

A few seconds later, he turned his face back and looked up at the expressionless Li Ye.

“Hey.”

Li Ye glanced at him.

“What will you… do to my true body?”

Li Ye countered, “What do you think the fate of an Abyss Pollutant mutant species is?”

Li You fell silent.

Ten years ago, mutant species were monsters absolutely not allowed in the empire. Those things were extremely dangerous, with powerful destructive capabilities. To ensure the safety of imperial citizens, any captured mutant species had only one end: killed on the spot.

It was like that ten years ago, let alone now.

The empire was peaceful nowadays. At least from the scattered information Li You had gathered during this time, his brother governed the empire very well. Even if Abyss Pollutants popped up, they were quickly dealt with.

So, the outcome for mutant species was still death.

That was beyond doubt.

But Little Wan Sis, she…

“She…” Li You blanked for a moment, then quickly shut his mouth and changed his words. “I seem a bit different. I mean, I probably haven’t been controlled by the Abyss Pollutant.”

“So?” Li Ye looked into his eyes and narrowed them. “You think it’s acceptable to leave a hidden danger like you around, gambling with the people’s safety?”

“Not acceptable.” Li You immediately replied, then slowly closed his mouth again. He looked down at his shoe tips. “But…”

He didn’t know how to continue.

Li Ye’s gaze lingered on the youth for a long time. His eyes shifted down to the thigh tightly bound by the leg ring, then withdrew after a moment, saying nothing.

No conversation followed. Li You huddled against the booth, hugging his knees even tighter. His thoughts gradually wandered.

He recalled a long time ago, when he trained in combat with his older brother and sister. No one could beat Li Ye. Even if big brother and second brother teamed up, they weren’t Li Ye’s opponents.

He still remembered how Li Ye deliberately went easy on him, but he still couldn’t win. Every time, he was picked up like a little chick.

But even if he ranked at the bottom, even if he was the dead last, he still got ice cream and little cakes bought by Li Ye as encouragement.

Li Ye, this bad guy, wasn’t bad at all. He was very good.

In his daze, as his thoughts wandered, Li You suddenly realized something. His eyes widened, and he abruptly stood up.

“Li Ye.”

Li You’s heart pounded like thunder. “You’re very strong. You could break both Illusion Realms, so why stay inside the Illusion Realm?”

Li Ye quietly looked at him.

Li You’s breathing tightened a bit. He said lowly, “The one who created the Illusion Realm is…”

It was Little Wan Sis. She held the initiative. She knew what happened in the Illusion Realm and also knew that the current Li You wasn’t the fake she had personally created.

Li Ye didn’t know, but Little Wan Sis definitely did.

Had she discovered him?

Li You’s heart jolted hard. He couldn’t confirm if this judgment was correct, but the answer was already nine parts out of ten. Little Wan Sis knew that a Li You not arranged by her had appeared in her Illusion Realm.

“You…” Li You clenched his fists as he looked at Li Ye. His throat bobbed several times. A thousand words reached his mouth but turned into just one sentence. “Why not leave?”

He boldly asked, “To stay here and talk to me?”

Li Ye said nothing, simply watching him quietly. That gaze wasn’t just simple staring—it was more like observation.

Li You’s voice trembled slightly. He asked lowly, “Li Ye, do you really miss Li You that much?”