Dark clouds blanketed the sky, rain soaking
Just moments ago, he'd seen terror on the man's face. Under normal circumstances, when a man with a weapon was pinned to the ground, wouldn't his first instinct be to fight back?
The lottery shop owner had surrendered immediately—the shift in demeanor was drastic, and it made Chen Ge deeply curious. What exactly had he seen?
"When I pinned him down, I felt a chill radiating from his eyes. The Yin Eye must have activated." The description of the Yin Eye on the black phone had always been vague, and later
"I barely thought before acting just now. I've probably been wound too tight from everything that's been happening lately." Since obtaining the black phone, Chen Ge hadn't had a proper rest. Every day was either completing daily tasks or tackling far more dangerous trial missions. But the effort was yielding results—at least the visitor count and approval rating of the horror house were climbing steadily.
He lingered in the alley for a while, but the cat wouldn't let anyone near it. He didn't force the issue, instead finding shelter nearby to wait for the rain to stop before leaving.
Ten minutes or so passed. The downpour showed no sign of letting up.
In the pitch-black back alley, Chen Ge shone his phone light toward the corner. Puddles had already formed on the ground, and the cardboard box, soaked through, had rotted open along the bottom.
Chen Ge walked over for a closer look. The battered white cat could hold on no longer—it had collapsed alongside the four kittens in the box, all of them already cold.
"I saw you, so I can't just leave you to die." Chen Ge took off his jacket, bundled the cats inside, and ran out to the main road to flag down a cab, heading for the nearest pet shop.
Just past ten o'clock, when the driver pulled up in front of the shop, a woman in work clothes happened to be locking the door.
"Wait!" Chen Ge didn't even bother with his umbrella, rushing over with the bundle of clothes in his arms.
"Sorry, we're closed. Come back tomorrow." The woman took a step back when she saw his appearance, keeping her distance.
"This cat won't make it to tomorrow. Money isn't an issue—please save it." Rain had soaked through Chen Ge's clothes, leaving him looking rather disheveled.
The woman peered inside his jacket. The white cat was covered in grime and had a long gash running across its face. "A stray?"
"Yes."
"Strays are wild, temperamental, and prone to biting people. Judging by the looks of it, it probably got beaten for biting someone. Are you sure you want to save it?"
"Save it." Chen Ge was decisive. "Some boys might have killed the kittens. This cat stayed right beside them, refusing to leave even when bricks and bottles were thrown at it. It's hard not to feel for it."
"Fine, if you're sure. Come in." The woman unlocked the door she'd just secured and took the jacket from Chen Ge. "Those four kittens are already gone. If you really want to keep the big cat, you'd best bury the kittens somewhere near your home."
"I appreciate it." Chen Ge glanced at the woman's name badge. She was the shop's owner, named Zhao Wen.
The woman carried the white cat into the back room of the pet shop to clean its wounds and begin treatment.
Chen Ge sat outside the shop, trading stares with the cats and dogs in their cages.
Strangely enough, ever since Chen Ge had entered the pet shop, every cat and dog had lain perfectly still inside its cage, not daring to make a single sound.