Lin Du was stunned for a moment, his hand still in the position from just now.
Without the armor covering, the sensation from his fingers made him feel dazed.
Fluffy and soft, smooth like the finest silk.
He had raised cats and dogs before, but that tail’s texture was absolutely unique.
Still…
He looked at the panting Xiao Yu, then at White Li’s gloomy face, and finally nodded.
“Fine, I’ll go first.”
Anyone with eyes could see the tension in the air.
The two probably had something important to talk about, so staying would be pointless.
At least this conversation went well.
She was willing to talk to him, eat the roast chicken he gave her, and even let him touch her tail.
It showed she wasn’t the vicious type.
Maybe some monster people had just taken the wrong path and needed someone to guide them properly.
He waved at White Li, picked up the plastic bag, and turned to leave the alley.
White Li stared at the figure disappearing at the alley’s entrance, then whipped her head around.
“Hmph.”
She snorted, grabbing Xiao Yu by the collar.
Xiao Yu stumbled, almost dropping the things in her hands.
White Li pushed off the ground.
Frost spread from her feet, and a pillar of ice instantly shot up, lifting the two of them high into the air.
“Ah—!”
Xiao Yu had never seen anything like this.
Her legs dangled, and the ground fell farther and farther away beneath her.
Wind rushed into her ears, making her shiver.
She desperately clutched what she was holding, curling up in fear.
The ice pillar grew silently through the night sky, weaving between buildings until it stopped atop a residential rooftop.
White Li raised her hand and tossed the cat girl onto the roof.
She rolled across the ground, and the wristband flew from her palm.
The silver metal ring bounced in the moonlight, rolling with a clink until it reached White Li’s feet.
White Li bent down and picked up the wristband.
A layer of mist clung to it; the magical energy inside was nearly spent.
She raised her head and stared at Xiao Yu, who was just getting up from the ground, her gaze cold and sharp.
“Sure enough, it’s you.”
She bit off each word.
“You already had a legal identity. You could stand in the sunlight. So why did you still steal my things?”
Xiao Yu’s legs were still trembling.
She scraped her knee on the rough cement floor, hissing in pain.
But she didn’t dare stand.
She only kept her head down, her tail tucked between her legs.
“I’m sorry…”
Her voice was choked with tears.
“I’m sorry… I’m sorry…”
She kept repeating those three words, as if they were all she could say.
Her voice grew hoarser, finally dissolving into muffled sobs.
“Ever since I was little… I’ve been looked down on. Called a monster, had rocks thrown at me, chased out of alleys. No one would even spare me a second glance… except Popo…”
Tears slid down her face, dripping onto the ground, leaving small dark spots.
“I always wanted… to live as a real human. To stop being treated like a monster. Just an ordinary person. Walk down the street without people pointing fingers, find a job without worrying about the boss’s face, buy things without being overcharged…”
She wiped her eyes with the back of her hand, but the tears kept coming.
“Popo’s legs are bad. The doctor said she needs more nutrition, needs to eat well. I finally saved up a little money, but no shop would sell me anything—just because I’m a monster person.”
She lifted her head, eyes red.
Her face was covered in tear streaks.
“So… when I saw your wristband, I…”
She couldn’t finish.
She just bowed her head, shoulders trembling.
“I know I was wrong. I stole from you. Punish me however you want. Hit me, scold me, order me around—I’ll do anything. Just please… please forgive me.”
She prostrated herself, forehead pressing against the cold concrete.
White Li stood before her, looking at the kneeling cat girl.
Most of her anger had already faded.
Living as a monster person in the human world really was hard.
The collar around her neck was proof enough.
She had been a bit too harsh earlier.
This cat girl had probably come specifically to return the wristband.
Wind blew across the rooftop.
The two were silent for a long time, the only sound Xiao Yu’s quiet sobbing.
“Get up.”
White Li’s voice softened.
“I think I understand now.”
Xiao Yu stayed prostrate, not moving.
“Get up.”
White Li said again, reaching out her hand.
“The ground is cold. You’ll catch a cold.”
Xiao Yu slowly raised her head, looking blurry-eyed at the hand extended toward her.
She hesitated, then spoke.
“Do you… forgive me?”
“Stop wasting words.”
White Li grabbed her wrist and pulled her to her feet.
Xiao Yu stumbled, almost bumping into her.
“Don’t do this sneaky stuff again,” White Li patted her head and scolded.
“Your Popo would be sad. Got it?”
Xiao Yu felt a huge weight lifted, nodding vigorously.
“Mm, I’ll remember.”
“It’s getting late. Hurry home.”
White Li waved her hand, ready to take her down from the roof.
Suddenly, Xiao Yu’s shadow stirred. It surged up from the ground and coalesced into a tall silhouette behind her.
The shadow reached out and clamped down on the back of Xiao Yu’s neck.
Its fingers dug into her skin, gripping her like iron pincers.
“No!”
White Li reached out to stop it, but it was too late.
Before Xiao Yu could even scream, a thin, long syringe stabbed into the side of her neck.
Black liquid was slowly pushed in.
“A traitor…”
Martha’s voice slowly resonated.
“There is no need for forgiveness.”
She shoved Xiao Yu to the ground.
White Li hurriedly caught her.
Xiao Yu’s body began to shudder violently.
Black veins spread from the injection site.
“You! What are you doing here?”
White Li glared at Martha, shielding Xiao Yu in her arms.
“I received the Divine Revelation,” Martha said coldly, glancing at White Li.
“The Sin of Jealousy will manifest here.”
crack crack
The collar around Xiao Yu’s neck gave a sharp sound, then suddenly burst, shattering into pieces.
Then her body began to expand.
Bones crackled under her skin.
Muscles bulged.
Fur erupted wildly from her skin.
“Hey, hang in there!”
White Li tried to call out to her, but it was no use.
She could only watch Xiao Yu transform into something more savage, more dangerous.
ROAR!!!
A roar burst from the deformed mouth.
White Li threw her arm up in front of her face, stumbling back several steps from the shockwave.
Under the moonlight, the little cat who had been kneeling and crying moments ago was gone.
In her place was a massive creature over two meters tall, standing on all fours.
Its mane bristled.
Fangs jutted out.
Sharp claws gouged grooves into the ground.
Martha melted back into the shadows, leaving behind one last sentence.
“Clean up your mess. This is your punishment for losing the wristband.”
White Li clenched her fists.
Frost gathered at her fingertips.
“Tch…”