Yu Yu's stare caught the big cat's attention. It clearly remembered her, even letting out a meow in her direction. Yes, Yu Yu had once quarreled with it through the window for two hours. In the end, Yu Yu won, and the big cat lost.
Now, great—it wasn't leaving.
What was wrong with this neighborhood?
Why did the big cat and other animals keep showing up?
Just a few days ago, Yu Yu saw several multicolored wild horses galloping past her window, disappearing into the nearby forest. But while those animals headed to the forest, this cat…
It bounced around daily, sunbathing on the asphalt, napping on the lawn, and occasionally pawing at the seesaw, making noise. Such an annoying cat.
Yu Yu didn't even dare pet it. If only she had some kind of animal affinity. After staring at the cat for a while, Yu Yu decided to change her approach. If she couldn't get rid of it, she'd have to find a way to coexist.
But before that…
The big cat's eyelids grew heavy as it watched her, and it fell asleep again. Yu Yu quietly opened the door, glancing at the cat as she passed. Its thick white belly had just a few patterned edges. Yu Yu thought of Banban from the game, then looked at this fat cat. Expecting it to help in a fight? Even a dog would shake its head.
A housecat from birth, it was more likely to steal chickens than guard the house. Yu Yu circled to the backyard to check her chicken and pig pens.
"One, two, three…"
Yu Yu counted, feeling relieved. Good, nothing missing for now, but…
Yu Yu raised a stone wall, too narrow for the big cat to squeeze through, half-blocking the door. While the cat slept, Yu Yu heightened the pens, thinking about earning money for iron shelters. She'd considered keeping the big cat, but…
It ate too much. Yu Yu couldn't afford it. Though the cat had been well-behaved so far, lounging around without acting aggressive, Yu Yu still wasn't confident. The physical gap between a big cat and a human was too vast.
At times like this, Yu Yu thought of 78 and Zi Shu. Even excluding Shu Tu, their physical abilities meant they wouldn't fear the cat much. Zi Shu had high strength and constitution; 78's agility let her outmaneuver it. Only spellcasters, neither scholarly nor martial, were left vulnerable. Yu Yu, of all people, feared the cat the most, yet it was her neighbor.
Grabbing feed, Yu Yu sighed and started feeding the chickens. She'd go online and ask her senior if there were spells with effects like Animal Affinity. Mid-feeding, Yu Yu suddenly turned. A massive cat face was right in front of her. The big cat sniffed, then sniffed again. Yu Yu's legs went weak.
Save me.jpg
The big cat yawned. Yu Yu's thought at that moment was…
Did Sleep Spell fail?
Could overuse build resistance?
Forced into close contact with the cat, Yu Yu stared at its enormous face. Its paws were huge.
And… this cat needed to brush its teeth. Surprisingly, the cat wasn't interested in the human. It had spotted something behind Yu Yu.
Chickens.
And pigs.
The cat instinctively pawed at the stone wall. Yu Yu seized the chance to back away, slowly, slowly.
The cat glanced back. Yu Yu froze, not daring to move. The cat walked over.
Yu Yu: "…"
She suddenly cursed how long Daze Spell's cast time was. The cat nudged Yu Yu, pushing her toward the pen, eyes locked on the chickens. Even in this dire moment, Yu Yu's face darkened.
I knew you wanted to eat my chickens!
Not a chance!
In your dreams!!!
Just then, her pocket vibrated. The cat tilted its head. Its intelligence seemed higher than Yu Yu expected. Were big cats this smart?
No matter—she pulled out her phone. Incoming call: Shu Tu. She answered.
"Hello?"
"You're not home?" Shu Tu's voice came through. "I knocked, no answer."
Yu Yu's eyes lit up. "Save me! Help me!"
"Backyard, cat!"
Shu Tu: "?"
Puzzled, she rounded to the backyard and saw a human and cat locked in a stare. They were very close. A distance Yu Yu would never willingly approach.
"Did I miss something?" Shu Tu asked.
Yu Yu, face stiff, hands trembling: "Quick, get it away."
Shu Tu stepped forward, casually patting the cat's head. "You two getting along now? It came back for you."
Yu Yu's fingers shook. "Impossible, absolutely not. Take it away."
Shu Tu: "It's gentle, good-tempered, not aggressive."
"Banban's cute and smart."
Her words weren't convincing.
Yu Yu: "…Pfft, it wants to eat my chickens."
Shu Tu wrapped her arms around the cat's head, half-dragging it away. The cat went reluctantly, clearly longing to stay. Every microexpression screamed it wanted to eat chickens. Moments later, Yu Yu locked the door and collapsed on the sofa, exhaling deeply.
"Nearly done for," she said. "Sleep Spell didn't even work?"
Shu Tu: "Banban ate something on the way. It's full of energy now."
Yu Yu, dead-fish eyes: "I can't keep it."
Everything could be overcome, except poverty. A cat ate so much meat daily—Yu Yu couldn't afford it.
Shu Tu: "I'll keep it."
Yu Yu: "?"
Shu Tu pointed next door. "I bought a house."
Yu Yu started gasping for air.
Shu Tu: "Embarrassing, but the owner wasn't going to sell at first, until…"
Yu Yu's phone rang. She answered weakly. "…Hello?"
Chang Yu's lively voice burst through. "Boss Yu! I'm awake! I'm coming to see you! Wait for me!"
Yu Yu's lips twitched.
Shu Tu helpfully pointed to another building. "She… well, she's rich."
"She bought every house here."
"One was resold to me."
Yu Yu: "…?"
Shu Tu explained casually, "Apparently, this neighborhood was a trial project by some distant cousin of hers. She just opened her mouth, and bought it all back."
Yu Yu, silent. So, Chang Yu was her landlord now?
Could she get a rent discount?
Maybe half-off, or shave a bit more?
Forget it, she'd talk to Chang Yu when she arrived.
Yu Yu asked, "Chang Yu hasn't been targeted?"
Shu Tu: "Doesn't seem like it. There are probably bigger priorities. Even the anomaly we faced might not be the worst."
She lowered her voice. "Xiang Qin's new rented neighborhood got sealed off again. An entire building fell into a coma, with only one survivor, still unconscious. They're back to hotels."
"The death toll's horrific," Shu Tu said carefully. "Our troubles might not even register to them."
Looking into Yu Yu's eyes, she added, "Besides, we're all too well-known. Eternal Darkness won't stay hidden long."
She continued, "I haven't streamed in ages."
Yu Yu propped her face. "Then stream."
"Who's stopping you?"
Shu Tu: "Eternal Darkness doesn't have streaming tech. We can't stream in-game."
"There you go~"
Yu Yu set her thoughts aside for now. As Shu Tu said, she wasn't truly a nobody—at least, not before. With even a sliver of fame, if the authorities wanted to dig, they'd find her.
She just…
Didn't want to return to the spotlight, to be judged and pointed at.
Shu Tu stopped there. "Chang Yu's here."
Yu Yu stayed silent, still weighing her options. The entire neighborhood had changed hands. Technically, Yu Yu couldn't control where Shu Tu lived. She wasn't keen on getting involved with Shu Tu. Gratitude was one thing, but Shu Tu drew too much attention from Xiang Qin's group.
Among them was someone Yu Yu loathed—Shang Wei.
Half-joking, she said, "If I asked Chang Yu to kick you out, would you leave?"
Shu Tu raised a brow. "Banban would eat your chickens."
Yu Yu's smile cracked instantly.
Right, she'd almost forgotten this unshakeable, nearly Sleep Spell-resistant, annoying big cat. She heard a car but not Chang Yu's voice.
Seeing Yu Yu fall silent, Shu Tu smiled. "I have money to feed Banban and train it. At least… it won't eat your chickens."
"What do you think?"
What could Yu Yu think? She sipped water expressionlessly. "It's not my house. What can I do?"
Shu Tu stepped out and soon returned, guiding a wobbly Chang Yu inside.
Chang Yu practically hung off Shu Tu. "Out-out-out… there's a tiger outside…"
After so long, Chang Yu hadn't changed—still fragile as a porcelain doll.
Her fingers trembled, tears welling. "Boss Yu, out-out-outside, there's a tiger!"
Yu Yu nodded. "I raised it."
Chang Yu: "?"
Chang Yu: "??"
Chang Yu: "???"
Instantly, her back stopped aching, her legs felt fine, and her hands steadied. "So it's yours, Boss."
"No wonder it's so majestic."
Shu Tu: "?"
Yu Yu: "How's it going? Is that thing still after you?"
Chang Yu: "No, no. The authorities seem to prioritize it heavily. It's been handed to some… uh…"
She recalled, "A more elite department. They say it's progressing well, and the thing's too busy to target me."
"Oh, right, they said no rush. This month, they'll go public," Chang Yu added. "They'll share what they know."
"They say anomalies expand chaotically, and everyone deserves to know to protect themselves."
"As long as it's not a malicious anomaly, ordinary people can avoid them, and anomalies won't actively kill."
"Still dangerous, though."
Yu Yu sipped warm water to calm her nerves. Chang Yu scooted her stool closer, blinking at Yu Yu. "Boss, my parents want to thank you."
Yu Yu raised a brow slightly. "Oh?"
"They wanted to visit, but Boss Shu Tu said you don't like strangers. Just give you something you need, and you'll accept my gratitude."
Yu Yu shot Shu Tu an appreciative look. She did hate socializing, especially pointless pleasantries.
"But I don't know what you need," Chang Yu said, tilting her face up, delivering a fatal blow. "Boss, are you short on money?"
Yu Yu's eyes narrowed instinctively.
How could she answer that she was broke, politely yet with swagger?
Online, waiting, urgent.