Chapter 24: The Cat Gets Its Belly Turned Up

Li Ye’s scratching technique wasn’t all that great, but Li You liked the feeling. He tilted his head back, tucked his front and back paws together neatly, and stood properly on his brother’s leg, completely forgetting that he had originally planned to use the cat’s cuteness to treat his patient of a brother.

The Ragdoll cat let out a steady “purr” from its mouth, rhythmic like a low engine, making one’s ears feel a bit itchy.

Li Ye’s cheek seemed to still hold the soft, warm sensation from the cat’s lick earlier. His gaze was serene, but the pupils half-hidden under his eyelids repeatedly narrowed into slits before forcibly dilating again.

He scratched the cat with only one hand, his movements extremely gentle, even cautious, while his other right hand stayed hidden at his side. A slit had been cut into the white glove, and blood slowly seeped from the torn skin, staining the center of his palm bright red, like a blooming other shore flower.

The negligible pain couldn’t calm Li Ye down. His thumb fidgeted, turning the ring with its sharp blade on his index finger, wiping away the blood on it, then pressing his fingertip against the sharp edge, sinking in, squeezing, blood seeping out, over and over. The glove was already tattered, revealing the palm beneath, covered in all sorts of scars.

A faint bloody scent gradually filled the space, so Li Ye activated the starship’s air exchange system. He looked at the cat perched neatly on his leg, curled into a tiny ball, his heart a tumult of mixed emotions.

He was probably truly going mad.

Li Ye’s left hand gently grasped the Ragdoll cat’s scruff, lifting its head slightly.

The cat blinked, its tongue tip poking out to lick his tiger’s mouth, letting out a soft, delicate “meow.”

The moist warmth spread, the barbs bringing a bit of itchiness.

Li Ye released his hand and picked up the snacks he had bought last time from the back seat, tearing open a cat strip and handing it to the cat. “Hold it yourself.”

The cat cradled the cat strip with its front paws.

And it really ate it on its own.

Li Ye leaned back against the seatback, turning his head to gaze at the barren landscape of Anjiel Planet outside the window. The sounds of the cat licking the strip filled his ears as he held the tilt of his head motionless, staring outside for nearly an hour.

The cat on his leg had long finished the strip and lay down, squinting its eyes on his thigh, still kneading in its sleep.

This Ragdoll really loved kneading on him.

After letting his thoughts drift empty for a long time, Li Ye withdrew his gaze and looked down at the cat. He lifted his left hand and hovered it over the cat’s head, rubbing it inexpertly. His fingertip touched the soft fur, slowly stroking over the cat’s ear, watching it twitch a few times before perking up, a tingling sensation gradually rising in his heart.

On him was his cat, the living Li You. The warm body heat made it feel unreal.

The agitation of his main body, suppressed deep within, surged up. Li Ye raised his eyes, his expression unchanged on his face, forcibly suppressing it back down.

His stroking didn’t stop. He removed the glove from his right hand, and Little Black coiled onto his palm, licking the blood clean and leaving a new scar across the palm line, like a severed lifeline.

Li Ye used his right hand to open the light brain and found Yulian, sending a message.

– You said before that Li You was infected by crystal stones?

The reply came quickly.

– Yes, without a doubt.

– The furnace device’s function is to disperse the crystal stone’s purification power. For animals or humans infected by crystal stones, their purification ability is thousands or millions of times stronger than the original stone. That guy Li You exploited exactly that.

– I’ve sorted through countless old data files these past few days in my spare time and confirmed he was indeed infected by crystal stones.

Li Ye looked at the cat on his leg.

Yulian kept sending messages.

– Your Highness, you must know that over ten years ago, no one at the Central Experimental Institute even realized crystal stones could infect people or animals, let alone that the infected ones’ purification power would amplify so much! I really have no idea where Li You learned all that!!

– Damn it, the old data was a total mess. It took me days to dig it up. His leftover blood sample data shows the crystal stone that infected him was A-187X. That type went extinct ages ago. He sure knew how to pick—the one with the highest purification power. I can’t even get my hands on any now for experiments.

Li Ye’s brow furrowed.

– A-187X?

Yulian replied.

– Yes, haven’t seen any in two years. The empire’s crystal stone industry isn’t what it used to be. Most available now are B or C class; A class are rare.

– The A-187X Li You used over ten years ago was a high-grade one only found on fringe planets. No idea how much effort he put into finding it.

Li Ye looked at the cat purring in its sleep and pondered for a moment.

– Can we test for crystal stone infection now?

Yulian was surprised.

– You’re doing a test?

– Of course. The tech is mature now; we can even detect which type of crystal stone infected the subject.

– What do we need for the test?

– Blood, fur, saliva, even urine works.

Li Ye narrowed his eyes, pressing his fingertip on the cat’s ear and plucking a few strands with a deft twist.

The cat didn’t wake, just twitched its ear.

Li Ye messaged with his other hand.

– The fur I’m sending back—test it and give me the results.

– Sure, no problem.

Li Ye pulled a vacuum-sealed bag from the compartment, sealed the cat hairs inside, then glanced down at the cat humming with its eyes closed, deep in thought.

Moments later, he retrieved a medical test strip from the storage box, donned disposable gloves, gently lifted the sleeping cat’s head, pressed his thumb against its mouth, and slowly inserted his fingertip, rubbing it on the cat’s fangs and tongue a few times before withdrawing. He wiped the saliva onto the test strip and sealed it up again.

The cat had long lost its sleepiness and was even a bit grumpy.

Li You splayed his legs in an eight-character stance, eyes squinted, chubby cheeks puffed like a fuming fat face as he glared at Li Ye. His sweet dream rudely interrupted, the kitty meowed “meow meow” in great displeasure.

Li Ye removed the disposable glove, reached out to rub its head, and offered a freeze-dried treat.

Li You swallowed involuntarily, mouth opening to bite the treat.

It was a cat that was easily coaxed.

Li Ye withdrew his gaze and sent Yulian one last message.

– Send me data on A-187X.

– What do you need it for?

– To get you experiment materials.

– Oh my god, Your Highness!!

Yulian was thrilled.

– I’ll get it for you right now!

– You have no idea how moved I am!

– I’ve decided—you’re my second idol from now on. First place goes to that guy Li You; please understand, he deserves it.

– File.

– File.

– Here’s the data on A-187X, with pictures attached. Thank you for your contributions to the institute. Looking forward to your good news~

After receiving the files, Li Ye opened the picture.

The A-187X crystal was a crystalline, transparent violet, like a blooming crystal flower, with purple tassel-like glow flowing inside the pure crystal.

He quickly skimmed the pictures and data, closed the light screen, reequipped the light brain, glanced at the flying sand and stones outside the window, then turned back to stare at the cat with its bright eyes.

“You followed me here yourself.” He scooped up the cat with one hand, cradling it in his palm, and opened the cockpit door. “Can’t return for half a month, so you’ll have to stay obediently by my side.”

Li You blankly tilted his head, then got a face full of windblown sand as the door opened. He blinked furiously and quickly buried his face in Li Ye’s overcoat. “Meow woo—”

What was going on? Where’d the sand come from on Prime Star??

Li Ye held the cat securely in one arm and strode forward against the sandstorm, passing through the teleportation station’s docking platform into the interior of Anjiel Military Fortress.

The waiting officer saluted. “Good morning, Your Highness! Welcome to Anjiel. The Imperial Military has prepared quarters for you. Any other instructions?”

Anjiel?

Li You’s heart jolted. He turned back to look at the stern yet slightly nervous officer, his gaze landing on the name tag.

It really was Anjiel Planet…

Wasn’t this place not under imperial jurisdiction?

Li You thought briefly and concluded that the empire’s territory must have expanded quite a bit in the past decade.

As he marveled, Li Ye, holding him, spoke. “Prepare a hover car.”

“Yes, right away.”

The officer turned and left. Li You looked at his brother with slight puzzlement, only to find the other gazing down at him.

The prolonged eye contact made Li You inexplicably nervous for no reason, his paws on his brother’s chest kneading restlessly. He tilted his head, and his brother’s gaze slowly followed.

“…” Li You panicked and let out a soft “mew.”

Li Ye’s face was expressionless. “Anjiel has lots of undeveloped areas, and even the main city gets sandstorms often. You came yourself, so endure the hardship.”

Li You’s kneading paws paused, head dropping as he pondered, grumbling inwardly.

【I just climbed onto a starship; no one told me when we set off.】

“Heading to the main city now to shop.” Li Ye said. “Do you want me to buy a cat carrier, or should I just hold you?”

The kitty’s eyes lit up, head tilting back. “Meow~”

【Cat carrier! A sand-proof cat carrier!】

At that moment, Li Ye pretended not to hear, taking the hover car starter from the officer and heading out the passage. “Forget it—holding you is safer.”

“…” The kitty stared wide-eyed in stunned silence, lips pursed, paws scratching at his brother’s clothes. “Meow—”

【Cat carrier! Cat carrier is safe!】

Li Ye still acted like he hadn’t heard.

Having scratched until tired, Li You listlessly sat on his brother’s arm, a bit helpless.

Communicating with a human who didn’t understand meows was truly difficult.

Fine, held it was.

Worst case, he’d groom himself extra these few days; no way he’d turn into a dusty tabby.

Li You quickly comforted himself and instead pondered his brother’s purpose in coming to Anjiel.

Earlier on the starship, after waking, he had kept watching Li Ye’s light screen and saw him in a video call with Senior Jason, the topic all about their past trip to Kailenoa.

Anjiel was the planet closest to Kailenoa, too.

Guessing where Li Ye wanted to go was all too easy.

As for what to do there…

Li You sank into thought, recalling that day following Li Ye to the Central Experimental Institute and overhearing Little Wan Sis’s fragmented words in the mini projection.

This trip must be to investigate Kailenoa.

Li You followed his brother into the hover car, settling on the passenger seat. After his brother got into the driver’s seat, he leaned over to buckle the seatbelt for him.

The Ragdoll cat, strapped into place, flicked its tail and looked up at Li Ye, full of confusion.

【Brother, are you okay?】

【Why buckle a seatbelt on a cat?】

Li Ye’s expression was as usual, his voice calm. “Sit properly.”

Li You blinked and actually straightened up obediently.

“Mm, very good.” Li Ye stroked the cat’s head and offered another freeze-dried treat.

Li You drooled again uncontrollably, mouth opening to snag the treat, completely forgetting his brother’s odd behavior.

The hover car started up and headed straight for Anjiel’s main city.

Li You ate the treat clean, licked his paws twice, and turned to look out the window.

They had reached the outskirts of the main city. The sandstorm was still fierce, but compared to the desolation of over ten years ago, it was much improved.

The hover car pulled into the central docking platform. Li You ducked under the seatbelt and instinctively pawed at the passenger door switch. Just as his paw pressed it, a pair of hands reached from behind and scooped him up.

Li You looked at his dangling paws in bewilderment. The world spun, and the next second, he was flipped belly-up onto Li Ye’s lap.

Li Ye’s hands pinned the cat’s body, fingers slowly rubbing the pink paw pads. He leaned down, backlit, making those blood-moon eyes even more eerie.

“Where are you going?”

Li Ye asked calmly, his cool fingertips gliding over the cat’s paw pads. His tone was even, yet carried an indescribable chill. “You have to behave—no running off, got it?”