A hideous xenoid of unknown breed came charging straight toward you.
So I ask you, what are your feelings?
Shelby indicated that he wanted to draw his gun.
That xenoid, entirely white to the point of discomfort yet with a charred black face, bypassed the crowd of guards and arrived before the Dean of the Imperial Research Institute. Ignoring the numerous blades, guns, spears, and halberds pointed at it, the vertical slit on its face quivered as it eerily uttered something resembling human speech: “Sorry.”
“…” The xenoid could speak human language—and in ancient tongue, no less. The sheer horror momentarily robbed Shelby of his voice.
This bizarre xenoid twisted its head toward the crowd. It was clearly a faceless head without any features, yet humans could distinctly feel themselves being stared at.
Battle-hardened Delphians wouldn’t be frightened by a mere xenoid, but this inhuman gaze still made cold sweat soak the fabric clinging to their backs.
And just then, a cat’s meow shattered the tense standoff. “Little Logic, have you apologized yet?”
In that instant, the terrifying xenoid acted as if some mechanism had been severed. It mumbled lowly, then obediently turned around like a dog that had been called out, bowing slightly toward the source of the voice.
Li Ao came pattering after it with his big tail held high. His cat form wasn’t all that large to begin with, let alone those five-centimeter legs—and after suppressing his spiritual power, he weighed barely eight jin. Yet this tiny little cat needed no forceful measures; a single sentence from him was enough to make the xenoid submit quietly.
Unlike the human speech from moments ago, Little Logic hissed back at the little cat.
“You still need to do some work, you know.” Li Ao said with a serious face. “Just apologizing isn’t enough—you have to help out with work!” As Li Ao nagged on at the xenoid, Shelby suddenly interrupted. “Your Highness, why do you call it Little Logic?”
It wasn’t surprising that Shelby was curious. In fact, everyone present was pretty curious. This name just didn’t fit the little cat’s naming style at all. He was a cat with little ink in his belly; Xun and Silver Wing had probably already exhausted all his cultural reserves.
The later ones, like Mantis Monster, Cow Monster, Little Blue, and Little Flower Beauty, weren’t exactly pleasant-sounding, but they matched the little guy’s cultural level perfectly. Little Logic, though? That clearly exceeded his current standards!
Li Ao stopped his nagging and sat down properly, sweeping his big tail across the ground once before saying earnestly, “Because he’s all white, but his face is black.”
What did that have to do with logic? Shelby’s mind short-circuited; he couldn’t make sense of it.
“There’s this kind of cat,” the short-legged cat gestured to the humans. “All black-faced, called logic cat.”
“…” The foolish humans were dumbfounded, racking their brains for a long time before finally retrieving from their knowledge that it was some long-extinct primitive cat breed. “Siamese… cat?”
Yeah? The little cat was also a bit confused, but anyway, he remembered it as “logic cat.”
T/N:
“Logic Cat”(luó jí māo)
“Siamese Cat”(xiān luó māo)
Goddamn logic cat.
Shelby’s expression twisted, but staring at that fluffy, adorable round face, he wouldn’t refute it. He nodded decisively. “Your name for it is excellent, Your Highness.”
Fierce Cat puffed up with pride, sticking out his fluffy white cat chest. “Grandpa, Little Logic said sorry. Do you want it to help you with something?”
“Is that possible?” Shelby actually chuckled.
“Of course!” Li Ao nodded, then turned to mutter at Little Logic for a good while. No one knew what the little cat said to it, but clear delight appeared on the xenoid’s face. It nodded eagerly in agreement, then lifted its head and fixed its gaze on Shelby, as if awaiting his orders.
For the first time in history, a human said to a xenoid, “Take the equipment back to the starship.”
The detection equipment weighed several hundred jin—heavy enough that it would take two or three humans to carry it. But the xenoid simply extended two front limbs and lifted it effortlessly.
The suction cups on its front limbs adhered firmly to the outer shell. Following directions from nearby humans, it accurately located the direction to transport it.
“Incredible.” Not just Shelby—any human would think so.
Beneath the setting sun, that terrifying silhouette was no longer merely terrifying. It wasn’t just a beast driven by primal urges to kill; it had been fitted with some kind of leash.
That’s what the humans thought, but the little cat didn’t see it that way. He didn’t treat the xenoids as pets to be domesticated. What existed between them was a transaction. They helped him with tasks, and he gave them spiritual power—it was an equal exchange, just like a single coin.
“One coin.” Ryan said.
The little cat, who had just returned from Aiai’ang’ang, was stuffed with a box of pastries the moment he landed.
Ryan was a bit out of breath, sleeves rolled up to his elbows, a bit of flour still dusting his fair side profile. He looked noticeably disheveled. “This, just for one coin.”
Li Ao looked at the pastries in his arms, then at Ryan, dazedly fishing a single coin from his little pouch and handing it over.
This was the very same coin Ryan had given him earlier, now returned via the original route.
The little lion in human form was still slim. He’d busied himself all afternoon, failing countless times, before finally baking a box of decent pastries.
“Try one. Is it good?”
Eat it now? The little cat hesitated a bit. Dinner was about to start—whether it was Grandma or Machine, they both said no snacks before meals… But seeing Ryan’s clearly expectant gaze, the little cat still opened the box and popped a small pastry into his mouth.
“It’s pretty good.” With his little mouth full of cookie crumbs, Li Ao ate one himself and casually handed one to Xun.
Ryan’s thin brows had already arched at hearing it was good, but when he saw his hard work go into the little monster’s mouth, he pursed his lips.
Xun narrowed his eyes, weakly sticking close to the little cat’s side, and softly said, “Li Ao.”
“Want another?” The little cat handed him one, then properly resealed the packaging like a little adult. “No more now. Save the rest for after dinner.”
The little monster chomped down on the cookie but didn’t swallow, parading through the streets right next to the little cat.
Ryan’s expression wasn’t great, which made the little cat tilt his head suspiciously when he noticed. “One coin isn’t enough?” But he’d said himself that one was all it took?
Having lived sixteen years couldn’t compare to the little monster’s innate talent for vying for favor. Ryan stared at the little cat, lips parting and closing several times without a word, finally just shaking his head and murmuring, “No.”
If not, then the little cat waved goodbye. Ryan stood in place, silently watching their retreating backs. It wasn’t until much later that he realized what this stifled feeling in his chest was.
Shameless stinky green tea bitch!
Meanwhile, the little black green tea Xun happily let the little cat hold his paw. After walking a ways, he even glanced back at Ryan, who was clenching his fist and staring at them. He nudged the cookie in his mouth toward the little cat’s face.
Li Ao didn’t mind his little dog at all, opening his mouth to bite off half and munch crunchily.
Xun swallowed the other half, smugly glancing back at Ryan again.
Though frail, Ryan—raised as Reniya’s heir with impeccable upbringing—nearly drew his sword right then.
But in the end, his baggage was too heavy; he missed his chance and could only watch helplessly as the adorable little cat was whisked away by the little monster.
That set of tricks worked on Ryan, but against Isiris? Utterly worthless.
The golden-haired emperor held the little cat without so much as glancing at the little monster, asking what the little cat had done all day.
Li Ao’s two feet stepped on the man’s thigh, hands propped on his chest, chattering away about his day—from skiing to Little Logic.
“Mm, that’s how it should be. No violent education.” Isiris pinched the cat ears. “You taught it well.”
Praised by Daddy, the little cat practically wanted to stand and wiggle his butt. Blushing under his fur, he purred and kneaded in the man’s arms, that sticky, soft look making the little monster’s eyes turn red.
Xun couldn’t describe this oppressive feeling, but it annoyed him. He flew to their side and poked Isiris’s shoulder with his claw.
Isiris pressed the cat head into his chest, then swatted the little coal ball away with a backhand. Standing up, he said, “Leo, could you help with something?”
The little cat lifted his head, a lingering purr in his throat. “What is it?”
He soon found out: it was to help clean up Zane’s contamination.
In the interstellar era, organ cultivation was mature technology. As long as it met transplant conditions, severed hands or feet were no longer an issue.
The little cat flailed his tiny claws like a diligent little bee, grabbing here and there, his little face serious and focused.
“Susu,” he combed for the man, then looked up at Zane, who was sweating buckets in pain. “What’s this thing here?”
Zane, torn to near fainting, forced out a pale smile. “Baby, can you get it out?”
Seeing how much it hurt, Li Ao stopped talking, stuck out his butt, and scratched furiously, just wanting to finish quickly so Uncle wouldn’t hurt anymore.
His tiny claws soon reached that square thing hidden in the black mist. Li Ao hugged it close and tiptoed to hand it to Isiris, who stood guard nearby.
Isiris took the stone tablet and leaned over to lightly kiss the little kitten’s head.
With just this simple touch, the little guy grinned happily, his tail—bigger than his body—standing straight up like an electrified utility pole.
The electrified Ground-hugging Supercar clenched his paws, pumping his little fists excitedly as he dashed back to Susu’s side. “Susu, I’ll keep catching them!”
Zane watched the adorable little guy crawling all over him, feeling bliss in his heart but pain in his body. Overall, the uncle and nephew were still getting along harmoniously. But on the other side, Head Medic Kuren’s expression was solemn.
“It really is Aliya Regalis’s prophecy.” Kuren put on his glasses and carefully cleaned the stone tablet with his tools. “Prime Delphi script.”
The language currently used by the Delphians was mainly simplified Delphi and ancient Chinese, and even Kuren could only vaguely make out the original Prime Delphi script.
Fortunately, they had already called in the relevant scholars. The gray-haired lady took the magnifying glass and translated the contents of the stone tablet for the Monarch.
“I, Aliya Regalis, leave three prophecies for my people. First: Machines will gain self-awareness. Second: The balance of the universe will be broken.”
The first prophecy had long been verified, needing no further discussion. And among the orally transmitted prophecies passed down in later generations, the second wasn’t detailed—but here it was explained.
“The Polluter will shatter the order established by the laws. The light of the stars will be devoured one by one, extinguishing all hope for living beings.”
Isiris’s eye sockets were deep-set, his golden pupils already sharp. Now, with a slight furrow between his brows, his edge was fully revealed. “The Polluter?”
Everyone’s first reaction was to point to the Xenoid Variants. But the lady seemed to see something, her hand holding the magnifying glass trembling. “I can’t see clearly who he is—that exceeds the power a Dreamwalker can reach. But I know the Polluter arises from humanity.”
“Humanity?” The crowd erupted in shock, their gazes shifting uneasily toward the Monarch.
Isiris merely raised his hand, and under his aura of majesty, they calmed like soothed beasts. The lady steadied herself too and continued reading: “My people, do not fear him. Humanity will never fall to this. The laws will grant Regalis a transcendent offspring beyond mortal norms.”
“The greatest soul is his spiritual mother, the mightiest human his flesh-and-blood father, and the evil dragon of the Abyss will be his companion.”
“He transcends the boundaries of primaries and secondaries. His origin lies in the void, and the end will change because of him.”
“He will lead Delphi to true glory.”
“Li Ao’s done!” The little kitten had somehow appeared before the crowd, puffing out his tiny chest proudly. “There’s no more yarn on Susu!”
The Fierce Cat had carefully checked, ensuring not a single strand escaped his paws.
The lady reading the prophecy let her fingertip rest on the final line, her gaze falling on the little kitten.
At this moment, everyone firmly believed: he was the hope granted by the laws to Delphi—and to all humanity.
But he was so small.
How could they be so despicable as to place their hopes on a little kitten? Twenty-odd years ago, a young lion cub had shouldered the empire’s future with his immature body. Were they to let history repeat itself after twenty more years?
The little kitten was too small. Even on tiptoes, he couldn’t reach high places. He’d trip while running, but he wouldn’t cry or fuss—he’d get up on his own, pat off the dust, and keep going.
No, they wouldn’t let the cub bear such pressure again.
“Your Highness is so amazing.” The lady reading the prophecy straightened up, pocketed the magnifying glass, pulled out a candy, unwrapped it, and offered it to Li Ao’s mouth. “How can our little kitten be so great?”
His blue eyes shimmered watery, Li Ao pawed the ground unconsciously, wanting it a bit. “Machine says only five per day.” He’d already sneaked two paws’ worth today, plus a coin’s worth of snacks.
“Just one, our little secret.” The gray-haired elder smiled kindly. “Won’t tell it.”
The little kitten turned to look at Isiris, his little face showing clear restraint and longing.
“Eat it.” The man, whose own appetites were faint and childhood brief, tapped his little kitten’s nose. “Brush your teeth well after.”
Silver Wing, coming to pick up the cub, knew it! This bunch of humans only knew how to spoil the short-legged cat unconditionally! The robot expressionlessly pulled the cat paw from a pile of candy wrappers and took the short-legged cat—who’d eaten who-knows-how-many candies, belly now hugging the ground—back home.
The group of humans all looked up at the sky, inexplicably feeling guilty.
“Machine…” Standing on two legs with his round belly sticking out, the little kitten couldn’t see his own feet. “I-I feel like I’m gonna throw up…”
Silver Wing snorted coldly. “Don’t you dare. I bet you could eat a few more.”
“Th-then just one more.” The kitty really couldn’t detect sarcasm, still muttering, “Should fit one more.”
“…” A string of speechless code flashed in Silver Wing’s program, rendering it utterly silent.
Li Ao, stuffed with candy, dreamed sweetly—but waking up to brush his teeth was far less sweet.
The little kitten stared in horrified fascination at his buck teeth in the mirror, prodding them with his claws, then exploded in fur and yelled: “Machine! Machine!”
The robot, who had just washed the cat bed, entered the bathroom. “What?”
Li Ao bared his teeth. “Teeth hurt… teeth hurt so much…”
The teeth aren’t panicking—you are.
Silver Wing sneered. “Still want candy?”
Getting no comfort from the iron-hearted robot, the little kitten flattened his mouth, jumped down from the sink, stomped hard on the robot as he passed, then bolted guiltily on all fours around the corner.
“Xixi—” Li Ao meowed and shouted all the way, squeezing through the small door to wail: “My teeth hurt so much!”
Isiris seemed to have just woken, sitting on the bed’s edge with his silk robe slightly disheveled, half-lidded golden pupils carrying a hint of laziness.
“Come here.” He beckoned the kitten.
Li Ao scrambled over on all fours, hooking his little claws into the hem of the robe and climbing vigorously onto the man.
The robe was already loose; with his grabbing and tugging, the silky fabric slowly slid off the shoulder. The warm, solid shoulder and graceful, fluid muscle lines gradually revealed in the morning light filtering into the room. The light trailed down the long neck, outlining the even, resilient curves of his chest, with just-right texture faintly visible—firm without exaggeration.
Pity, such a fine morning scene and perfect body—the little kitten had no appreciation for it. Paws planted on the chest muscles, he anxiously opened his mouth.
Isiris held the kitten by the scruff, his finger gently touching the wobbly loose little tooth. Li Ao’s eyes welled up, seemingly waiting for an explanation.
“Does it hurt?”
The little kitten deflated his mouth, finally unable to hold back, nodding with a whimper: “It hurts.”
“It’s a bit inflamed. Don’t be scared—we’ll have Grandpa take a look.”
Shen Que, entering with the tea cup, froze for a moment upon hearing this.
Don’t be scared…
Shen Que had never heard such consoling words from the Monarch’s mouth. Even last night, to Zane who had just been stitched up, Isiris had only said flatly: “Resume training soon.”
But to the cavity-plagued kitten, he spoke like worrying the child would fear the doctor—not “go to the doctor,” but “find Grandpa”?
The purple-eyed guard collected his thoughts, about to suggest the Monarch breakfast first, when he glimpsed the other’s disheveled attire. His fair face flushed crimson; he dropped to one knee, head bowed, and said softly: “My Sun… please have breakfast first.”
Isiris, one hand cupping the cat’s butt, didn’t care about outsiders and strode naked into the dressing room after shedding the robe. “Set it on the table. Find an older doctor to come.”
The honey-colored ankle passed his lowered gaze; Shen Que’s unseen earlobes burned red as he replied lowly: “Yes.”
The little kitten’s second milk tooth was beyond saving. He’d taken medicine and was waiting for the inflammation to subside.
And the wait was the hardest part.
The poor little guy, sporting a bee-stung swollen gum, looked utterly dejected to everyone he saw.
Brenna, who had baked little cakes early that morning, froze in her smile. “Your Highness?…” Oh god, what happened to her Highness? Can’t eat candy anymore? Oh, that plumply swollen little face— it broke her maid’s heart.
Li Ao, drooping and dragging his big tail and little backpack, was towed toward the door by the robot.
Summer had arrived, and Empire Magnolia Kindergarten welcomed the new semester amid the little kitten’s “teeth panic.”
“Come.” The busy Monarch squeezed out time to squat down. “I’ll take you to school.”
The dejected little kitten froze, looking up at that unparalleled handsome figure.
The robot released his hand, then nudged his butt forward.
Li Ao staggered two steps. One second, two seconds—Isiris was still waiting. He grinned, forgetting the toothache, and headbutted straight into Daddy’s arms.
