Chapter 32: Don’t Take the Kitty to Get Neutered! Part 1

“You mean…” Qi Yu looked at the booklet in his hand printed with red cat paw prints and marked with black X’s, then glanced at the cat licking its fur on the nearby lab table beside him. “You and the cat played tic-tac-toe for half the night?”

Li Ye’s gaze remained fixed on the cat. “He was in heat.”

Upon hearing this, the fur-licking Li You’s ears perked up. He turned his back, unwilling to face them, but his big tail swept left and right behind him, appearing somewhat restless.

【Being a cat is really not easy.】

【Hmph.】

Li Ye’s gaze shifted slightly as he recalled the cat’s condition from the previous night and added, “Probably in heat.”

Qi Yu closed the booklet in his hand and turned his head toward the cat facing the wall. “But it looks fine now. It ate quite a bit this morning.”

【Not that much.】

【That was just a normal portion for a kitty!】

Li You muttered to himself.

Li Ye thought for a moment and said, “He drank the extract liquid from the pack beast’s storage sac.”

Qi Yu was stunned for a moment. “Imperial textbooks record that the liquid in a pack beast’s storage sac provides satiety and heals wounds. However…”

He reached out and scratched his cheek. “Your Highness, the pack beasts on Kailenoa are somewhat different, perhaps due to the local terrain or some other reason. Their storage liquid has a heating effect. I once used it to get through a cold wave.”

Li Ye fell silent and looked toward the cat, just in time to meet the gaze of the cat looking back at him. He saw incredulity in those cat eyes.

“…” Li Ye said, “It was my mistake. I gave him the extract liquid.”

“Why did you suddenly give it that?” Qi Yu chuckled, then added, “If he didn’t drink too much, it should metabolize quickly. If it’s not heat, then that’s good, but I still suggest taking the little cutie for neutering once we return to the Empire.”

Upon hearing this, the cat gazed at Li Ye with pleading eyes, and Li You’s inner voice transmitted over.

【I don’t want to be neutered.】

【This is fratricide!】

Li Ye placed his hand on the cat’s head. “We’ll talk about it later. First, find a way to get back.”

“True enough.” Qi Yu shrugged, stood up from his chair, still holding the booklet stamped with cat paw prints. He shook the booklet at Li Ye and said, “Your Highness, can you give this to me?”

Li Ye glanced at it. “What do you want it for?”

“To collect, of course.” Qi Yu casually flipped open a page to show him. “Look, such perfect kitty paw prints. I adore them.”

Li You tilted his head and looked at General Qi, then down at his own paw.

Faint red ink stains remained on the pink paw pads. His brother had scrubbed them for a long time that morning but hadn’t fully cleaned them off, and the fur around the soft pads was dyed light red.

He gently clenched his paw, lifted his head, raised one paw high, and extended it toward General Qi with pads open. “Meow!”

Qi Yu was delighted and hurried over to grasp the cat’s paw, gently rubbing the pads with his fingertip. “Good kitty, good kitty.”

Nearby, Li Ye narrowed his eyes, watching the cat’s tail swing joyfully. He crossed his arms in front of his chest. “No activity from the signal tower side?”

“Oh, I should go check.” Qi Yu released the cat’s paw, gave the cat’s head a rub, and said to Li Ye, “I’m wondering if we answer his questions, whether he’ll really tell us the way back.”

【But if we really get his so-called ‘way back,’ can we trust it?】

【What if it’s an even greater danger? That would be terrible.】

So thought Li You.

Li Ye’s fingers resting on his arm tapped lightly and slowly. “Reply to him. We’ll decide after receiving the message.”

“What should we say?” Qi Yu asked.

“Say we can help him get the rabbit.”

“Got it.”

Qi Yu left. Li You watched him until he disappeared from sight, then withdrew his gaze.

【But that would be unfair to Gar.】

“…” Li Ye silently walked over to the cat and spread his palm in front of it.

“Meow?” Li You looked up in confusion.

【Do you need something, brother?】

Li Ye: “…”

The image that lingered in his mind was the scene of the cat just now extending its paw for Qi Yu to hold.

He said nothing and instead reached out on his own, his fingertip grasping the paw the cat had placed at the edge of the table.

Li You lowered his head and saw his own paw gripped by Li Ye. After reacting for several seconds, he spread open his paw pads, letting his brother squeeze them.

【If you want to squeeze Youyou’s paws, just say so.】

【Here, Youyou is very generous.】

Li Ye said nothing, his fingertip slowly rubbing, then he picked up the cat and headed to the adjacent lab area.

After Qi Yu sent the reply, they received no further messages for two days. During that time, Li Ye went to the signal tower again to check the connection equipment. On the third day, the signal received a new question.

-Do you like little bears?

Qi Yu guessed their previous answer was wrong. After discussing it with Li Ye, they replied “No.”

Then there was silence again.

Two more days passed, and the pack beast extract liquid in the cat’s body was completely metabolized. Li You was in excellent condition, showing no signs of heat at all. He even occasionally insisted on following his brother out to observe hunts.

Qi Yu’s job was to monitor the signal tower. After Li Ye thoroughly cleared the mutant nest near the signal tower, General Qi took charge of checking the signal tower.

On the morning of the tenth day.

Li Ye took the cat, who wore a small cloak, out for hunting. Qi Yu distributed the crystal stone extract liquid, giving some to Li Ye and pocketing two cans for himself as he prepared to head to the signal tower again.

Before setting off, both took their communicators. The cat perched on Li Ye’s shoulder meowed twice at General Qi.

“See you this afternoon.” Qi Yu took the opportunity to pinch the cat’s cheek.

They parted ways. Li Ye headed in the opposite direction with the cat; their target today was farther away, and time was limited.

Someone had to investigate the true situation in Kailenoa. Today, Li Ye planned to venture deeper into the southeast.

Li You stood on his brother’s shoulder, hood up as he observed his surroundings. When tired, he lay on his brother’s head. When there was no wind, he quickly yawned to avoid eating sand.

A faint fragrance carried on the wind came from the eastern crystal stone district. A-grade crystals emitted this aroma, which could also purify abyss pollutants.

The crystals themselves and their fragrance held strong appeal for mutant species, along with a purifying effect. Influenced mutants became sluggish in movement, like tamed puppies.

According to Qi Yu, the deep southwest was teeming with mutant species and abyss pollutants—rushing in blindly was unwise. Thus, Li Ye had chosen the southeast route these past days, so they could retreat to the eastern crystal mine if needed.

The cat lay on the person’s head, purring loudly from his throat, sounding utterly content.

Li Ye unfolded the map, made marks, and continued forward.

On the distant horizon, a white sand wave gradually rose. The sand ground trembled faintly, accompanied by increasingly loud noises. Li Ye stopped, raised his eyes to watch the rolling sand mass approaching.

It drew nearer and nearer.

The cat immediately perked up its head, claws clutching Li Ye’s head tightly.

Li Ye picked up the cat, tucked it into his bosom, and released his true form, which expanded to envelop them both. In the form of black crimson flames, his true form surrounded the man and cat, forming a massive protective circle.

Li Ye continued forward with the cat.

Li You, tucked inside the coat, poked his head out to look and discovered his brother was navigating through the dunes with him.

Amid the surging sands was a massive horde of rhinoceros mutants migrating toward the eastern crystal district.

The mutants that crashed into the protective barrier formed by Li Ye’s true form shattered into pieces. Though the others noticed Li Ye, they did not halt their migration, showing little attack intent.

They seemed very hurried, as if something terrifying lurked in the southwest.

The rhinoceros mutant horde shook the sands with thunderous steps. Sand and dust filled the sky; Li You quickly closed his eyes and buried his face in his brother’s clothes.

After a long while, the surroundings finally calmed. He poked his head out, ears perked as he listened carefully.

The noises had faded into the distance.

【They didn’t attack us at all.】

【Why are they rushing east like that?】

Li You had many questions, and Li Ye was equally puzzled.

But their task today was to scout the southeast; they could not casually alter the plan.

Man and cat continued south. Not long after, another wave of mutant migration appeared in the sky, all heading east as well.

The sight was truly shocking. Li You clung to his brother’s arm, watching these mutants that usually went berserk at the sight of them now completely ignore their existence. An ominous premonition gradually rose in his heart.

By afternoon, Li Ye halted their southward advance, marked the position on the map, and prepared to return along the original path. At that moment, the communicator on his body emitted a “zzt zzt zzt” sound, and Qi Yu’s voice came through.

“Your Highness, I need to head back early. It’s strange today—large numbers of mutant species are migrating east.”

“Mm, you go back first. Stay safe.” Li Ye glanced at the sky; its color was much darker than morning, oppressively overcast, making breathing feel stifled.

The communication signal was poor, so they exchanged only a few words before ending the call. Li Ye headed back with the cat, grabbing a rabbit mutant along the way for dinner.

At the same time, after another wave of mutant migration ended, Qi Yu emerged from the signal tower. He looked at the sky’s hue, frowned, secured his communicator, took a sip of crystal stone extract liquid to quench his thirst, and prepared to return to the lab. Suddenly, the signal tower behind him emitted intense “zzt zzt” sounds.

Qi Yu turned back to the connector, his pupils contracting sharply.

On the black screen, the previously steady electronic lines suddenly jittered wildly, characters bursting forth one by one, forming a sentence.

-Infinite Polar Night is about to arrive.

Qi Yu’s expression darkened abruptly. He quickly pulled out his communicator to call Li Ye.

“Your Highness! The signal tower received a message: ‘Infinite Polar Night is about to arrive.’ You and—”

Before he could say more, the connector assembled on the signal tower began sparking. The originally pitch-black display screen lit up instantly. From the screen glowing with a hazy light, a pair of hands suddenly thrust out, gripped his shoulders, and yanked him inward.

The hands possessed immense strength. Qi Yu gritted his teeth; the communicator in his hand dropped to the sand. His feet dug desperately into the sand pit, yet he still could not resist the pull.

“…Damn it!”

Qi Yu cursed under his breath.

The last person who could match his strength, aside from Your Highness Li Ye, was that guy Peisengke.

Veins bulged on Qi Yu’s forehead, yet he was still dragged toward the screen.

He gritted his teeth and glanced at the communicator on the ground, hearing Your Highness Li Ye’s calls and the kitty’s worried meows.

A sense of helplessness welled up in Qi Yu’s heart.

Was he really going to die here today?

“Damn it!!”

A thick, furious roar emanated from the display, the voice sounding on the verge of shattering teeth.

Stunned by the roar, Qi Yu had no time to react before the hands pinning him and dragging him in exerted even greater force. One hand clamped his nape, the other wrenched his arm, and unceremoniously slapped him.

“Qi Yu, you brat, if you don’t come back soon, I won’t be able to hold that little ghost much longer!!”

Qi Yu’s eyes widened. “You… you’re Peisengke?”

“Who else? Hurry up! The brothers are almost at their limit. That little ghost is too strong—get back here quick!”

“But Your Highness and the others…” Qi Yu looked down at the communicator on the ground.

Peisengke on the other end didn’t catch it and yanked him in with all his might.

The screen glowing white went black the moment Qi Yu entered, leaving only that sentence on it.

-Infinite Polar Night is about to arrive.