Chapter 280: Chapter 277: [Wishing Cat]
Chapter 277: The Wishing Cat
Midnight, Pudong International Airport.
An international flight had just landed, and soon an ambulance drove onto the runway...
Shortly after, a passenger from the flight was taken away by the ambulance.
This incident wasn’t considered major. For the fellow passengers, it was merely another topic of conversation for their leisure time...
「 」
In the early morning hours, Chen Nuo lay in his bed at home, eyes tightly closed, his breathing steady.
His slightly trembling eyelids indicated he was deep in sleep, perhaps even dreaming.
For Chen Nuo, a direct consequence of his weakened spiritual power was that he had begun to reacclimate to "sleeping," even occasionally having dreams.
It wasn’t necessarily good or bad, but for an Ability User with strong spiritual power, it was a somewhat novel experience.
「 」
Amidst flying sand and swirling stones, a fierce wind raged. Chen Nuo found himself on a vast grassland.
Patches of jungle were vaguely visible in the surroundings.
However, the sky was blanketed with dense, dark clouds. Following the wild wind came a torrential downpour.
Chen Nuo walked in the rain, his body drifting lightly.
Soon, ahead, amidst a cluster of boulders, he saw a small figure slowly climbing to the summit of a protruding rock. Standing atop it, facing the boundless land, it held its head high, puffed out its chest, and stretched its body.
Its streamlined form and proudly raised head let out a low roar!
"MEOW~~~~"
Chen Nuo: "..."
The pouring rain abruptly stopped. The clouds dispersed, the rain ceased, and soon the sun re-emerged, bathing the earth in light.
On the ground, soaked by the rain, tender green grass shoots sprouted vigorously, bursting with life.
Herds of wild animals appeared on the grassland, gathering to drink from the pools formed by the rainwater.
Rhinos, zebras, antelopes, lions...
On the rock, the plump Gray Cat, with an agility that belied its physique, leaped down and approached a pond.
Wherever it went, the wild beasts retreated, clearing a path, bowing their heads, and crouching by the wayside.
The Gray Cat strode towards the pond, head high and chest out. It licked a few mouthfuls of water, meowed softly, then turned to look back at its "subjects."
By the pond, a black leopardess with a sleek, glossy coat and a powerful, muscular build, slowly approached. It bowed its head and lapped water from the pond’s edge.
The Gray Cat slowly drew near, circled the leopardess once, and then meowed softly twice.
The leopardess immediately turned and prostrated itself on the ground.
With an air of triumph, the Gray Cat waved its paw. Instantly, the herds of wild animals on the grassland receded like the tide...
When tranquility returned to the land...
Under Chen Nuo’s astonished gaze, the Gray Cat triumphantly leaped onto the leopardess’s back...
Damn it! Am I actually in this horny cat’s erotic dream?!
「 」
The Gray Cat was fast asleep in its cat bed, snoring heavily.
This cat bed was an old pillow Ou Xiuhua had found at home.
In its dream, the Gray Cat felt itself perched behind a well-built feline, thrusting vigorously...
Suddenly, the Gray Cat let out a bloodcurdling scream!
In the dream, the black leopardess abruptly transformed!
The Gray Cat saw beneath it... a smooth, glistening... giant octopus!
GODDAMMIT!
With a miserable howl, the Gray Cat jolted awake from its dream.
It had just leaped up from the pillow when the scruff of its neck was seized, and the entire cat was lifted into the air.
The Gray Cat struggled desperately, twisting its head to look, only to see Chen Nuo staring at it expressionlessly.
"MEOW?"
Chen Nuo didn’t speak. He simply carried it to the balcony, gently pushed open the window, leaped up, hooked onto the edge of the roof, and vaulted outside.
「 」
Landing on the rooftop terrace, Chen Nuo set the Gray Cat down. He then squatted in front of the creature, regarding it with a peculiar expression.
Internally, however, he was astounded!
Chen Nuo had just realized that, unconsciously in his sleep, he had once again established a spiritual power connection with the Gray Cat, even entering its dream!
Upon this realization, he had casually made a minor alteration to the Gray Cat’s dream...
Chen Nuo instantly regained full consciousness and returned to his own Consciousness Space!
Something shocking had occurred!
His Consciousness Space had previously been drafty due to seventeen vast cracks. Now, on one of them, a very faint "membrane" had appeared, as if it had meticulously sealed the crack!
Although this thin membrane seemed fragile, as if a light poke would shatter it, it had, nevertheless, covered the fissure!
Moreover, as his spiritual power circulated and nourished it, and as the Consciousness Space slowly healed itself, the membrane seemed to be gradually thickening.
Given time, this crack would heal completely, becoming a solid part of the Consciousness Space’s barrier!
Consciousness Space crack repair (1/17)!!!
This meant Chen Nuo had saved one-seventeenth of the spiritual power he normally expended daily to prevent the cracks from leaking!
This conserved portion of spiritual power could slowly become the nourishment for Chen Nuo to recover his strength!
「 」
Squatting before the Gray Cat, observing the fluffy little creature timidly trying to hide its head, Chen Nuo took a deep breath and suddenly asked, "Who were your previous owners?"
The Gray Cat tilted its head. "MEOW?"
Chen Nuo mused for a moment. "Too many? Then... just tell me about the last one."
"MEOW..."
Chen Nuo was stunned.
"The one with the super-long lifespan?" Chen Nuo stared at the Gray Cat, bewildered. "What benefits did you bring her? Longevity? Did she outlive her own son?"
"MEOW..."
"Alright... you don’t know either? You only know you can bring benefits to your owner? Then... why did you leave her?"
"...MEOW MEOW MEOW!!"
"...Just because she liked keeping dogs?" Chen Nuo rolled his eyes.
Then, gazing intently at the Gray Cat, he said, "...So, all joking aside, tell me seriously. Why does interacting with your spiritual power allow me to heal my injuries? Gray Cat, what exactly are you?"
The Gray Cat sighed. "...I really don’t know what’s going on. I... I’m just a cat!!"
"Tell me about your past," Chen Nuo said, trying a different approach after a moment’s thought.
"...I don’t know."
"What do you mean, ’you don’t know’?"
"It means I don’t know!" The Gray Cat licked its paw and lay down before Chen Nuo, looking up pitifully. "I... I only remember that when I woke up, I was a cat."
"A kitten?" Chen Nuo accurately pinpointed the key detail.
"No, I was this big when I woke up." The Gray Cat shook its head.
"...And before that? You couldn’t have been born this big."
"I don’t remember. I was like this when I woke up," the Gray Cat said, a hint of impatience in its tone.
Chen Nuo shook his head. "Then what about the previous owners you mentioned? When was the earliest you remember waking up?"
The Gray Cat lowered its head, thinking...
"Just tell me what you can recall... The very first one. Who was your first owner after you woke up?"
"A crazy, nerdy old man," the Gray Cat replied.
"A nerd? An old man?" Chen Nuo pondered. "Who was he?"
"...He eventually committed a crime, went to prison, and was poisoned there."
Chen Nuo’s expression darkened. "Don’t tell me you don’t even remember his name."
The Gray Cat looked a bit frightened. "I... I had just woken up then, and I didn’t know where to go. I had to hide in his house, and he took me in. I only lived there for a few years. Okay, I’ll tell you the truth! His spiritual power was quite strong, so being near him was very comfortable for me. Of course, he wasn’t as powerful as you, but at the time, he was the one with the most active and strongest spiritual power I could find. I had no other choice!"
"But you can’t even remember his name."
"I’m a cat!" the Gray Cat shrieked, exasperated. "I had just woken up then; I was still very weak! And I couldn’t understand your human language very well! Only by staying with him could I gradually grow stronger. But since he wasn’t an Ability User himself, just an ordinary person with exceptionally strong spiritual power, my growth was very slow... It wasn’t until I’d been with him for several years that my spiritual power grew enough for me to slowly learn your human language. But by then, he was already dying."
"Just tell me what you remember."
"Before he died, he said something to the people around him. Something about owing someone a sheep and asking a friend to repay it for him."
BANG!
Two thermal insulation tiles beneath Chen Nuo’s feet unknowingly shattered under his pressure.
Owing a sheep... repaying it on his behalf...
Chen Nuo suppressed his surging emotions, controlled his tone, and slowly asked, "This old man... did he have a student whose spiritual power was also quite good?"
The Gray Cat narrowed its eyes, thinking. "It seems there was a pretty good one. Almost like him."
"So, after the old man died, did you then follow his student?"
"No! By then, I had grown a bit stronger, and there wasn’t much benefit in staying with ordinary people like that anymore. Besides... his family was so poor! The food was bad, the living conditions were terrible. I didn’t want to stay there, so I left..."
The Gray Cat’s voice grew fainter as it spoke, sensing Chen Nuo’s gaze becoming increasingly unfriendly.
"I think you’re a very cunning cat, hiding too many secrets. If you don’t start being honest, I’m planning to take you to the vet tomorrow!"
"What for?"
"To solve a little problem. Then you won’t have to have those disgusting dreams every day!"
The Gray Cat shrieked.
Its paws clutched Chen Nuo’s ankle as it writhed frantically. "No! No! MEOW MEOW MEOW MEOW!!!"
"Then answer my questions!" Chen Nuo sneered. "You..."
"I really don’t remember anything from before! I’ve told you my earliest memory! I don’t remember anything before that at all!"
"What about after?" Chen Nuo asked. "The benefit you can bring me... is it healing my Consciousness Space?"
"I don’t know," the Gray Cat replied pitifully. "The benefits I bring to each owner are different. I don’t know how it works myself, but I always manage to give my owner what they desire most."
"Super-long lifespan... Never mind, let’s not talk about her. Your first owner, that old man, what benefit did he get?"
"He said his wisdom was illuminated..." The Gray Cat lowered its head. "After I came to his house, he often had many brilliant ideas."
Chen Nuo sighed.
...Getting what they desired most, huh?
So, it’s a... wishing cat?
How many years has this cat been alive?
Counting from the time it said it woke up...
It must be about two thousand four hundred years!
A cat that has lived for two thousand four hundred years?
Is that reasonable? This... it’s... Damn it! I really want to throw it into the Ganges!!
「 」
Returning to his room, Chen Nuo tossed the Gray Cat back into its bed and went to his own room.
He immediately turned on his computer and started searching for information.
The Gray Cat’s account had reminded Chen Nuo of something he had heard or read about before, but he couldn’t be entirely sure.
A few minutes later, in the darkened room, Chen Nuo stared at the glowing computer screen...
"I owe God a sheep; please repay him for me..."
—Socrates, last words.
「 」
Damn!
Chen Nuo cursed and closed the webpage.
Yes, "that" Socrates!
The founder of Western classical civilization...
Well, no need for excessive detail; a single sentence can illustrate his stature.
In Western civilization, his status is roughly equivalent to... the most revered sage of the East.
Illuminate wisdom?
Super-long lifespan?
Spiritual power interaction?
Chen Nuo sank into deep thought.
「 」
A day later, the repair progress of the fissure in Chen Nuo’s Consciousness Space was still (1/17).
He once again attempted a spiritual power interaction through a dream while the Gray Cat was asleep.
However, this time, it had no effect.
There was no improvement in the repair of the Consciousness Space.
So... the Gray Cat’s spiritual power dream interaction can only mend one fissure?
Chen Nuo had also tried interrogating the creature again.
He even personally took the cat out and paraded it around the entrance of a veterinary hospital!
At that moment, the Gray Cat’s wails were utterly heart-wrenching!
Its claws desperately clung to the doorway, its cries so shrill they could break one’s heart!
This act convinced Chen Nuo that the Gray Cat hadn’t lied to him.
It genuinely knew nothing.
So, he grabbed it, threw it back into the car, and drove home.
After arriving home, the Gray Cat hid under the sofa and didn’t dare to emerge for several hours.
「 」
So, it wasn’t just spiritual power interaction with the Gray Cat that could heal the fissures in the Consciousness Space.
Chen Nuo considered a different angle.
Could it be that the condition for mending fissures was... spiritual power interaction with Ability Users?
The Gray Cat was an Ability User, and it could only heal one.
What about other Ability Users?
With this line of thought, Chen Nuo began to strategize.
Were there any other Ability Users in Jinling City?
「 」
Late at night.
Sun Keke sat on her bed in her bedroom, fiddling with her phone.
The room was dark, and the phone screen emitted a bright green glow.
After quickly typing a couple of sentences, Sun Keke hesitated, then deleted the text.
A moment later, the girl irritably tossed the phone under her pillow, flopped onto the bed, and thrashed about in frustration for a few seconds.
Outside, Chen Nuo stood by the window, quietly observing Sun Keke in her room.
After a moment’s thought, he took out his phone and sent a text message.
DING~
Sun Keke suddenly leaped up from the bed, retrieved her phone from under the pillow, and glanced at it.
[Chen Nuo: Goodnight. Sleep well. See you at school tomorrow.]
In the darkness, an unconscious smile touched the corners of the girl’s lips.
Hmph, I’m not replying to you!
With that, Sun Keke turned off her phone, placed it beside her pillow, and lay down to sleep again.
This time, however, a faint, gentle smile graced her face.
Chen Nuo looked at the figure on the bed in the bedroom, sighed softly, then crouched and leaped onto the rooftop terrace.
Finding a spot, he sat down cross-legged and closed his eyes.
A faint tendril of his spiritual power was slowly released...
This tendril was undoubtedly far weaker than during his peak, and it was only a single, very faint strand.
Slowly, it extended, reaching a specific location within the building...
「 」
"Ice pops, Ma Tou brand~~~
Ma Tou brand ice pops~~~~"
A melodious cry echoed.
Narrow streets and low-slung buildings evoked a bygone era.
A young boy walked slowly out of his school and approached a middle-aged man who was pushing a bicycle. A yellow wooden box was mounted on the back of the bike.
The middle-aged man smiled, took an ice pop from the box, and handed it to the boy.
"Master, school’s out!"
The boy happily licked the ice pop, took a large bite, and crunched it noisily.
The middle-aged man smiled and patted the boy’s head, then waved. "I’m going to buy groceries. You watch our things here, and we’ll go home together in a bit."
"Okay!" the boy replied.
Chen Nuo stood by the street, quietly observing the master and apprentice.
Young Jiang Fusheng... he was quite handsome back then.
The middle-aged man must be Song Qiaoyun’s biological father, and also Old Jiang’s respected master.
Young Jiang Fusheng... Hmm, perhaps I should call him Little Jiang,
after seeing his master off, propped up the bicycle and continued selling ice pops at the school gate.Before long, other students began to leave the school.
Little Jiang skillfully sold ice pops, collecting pennies and nickels.
Then...
Chen Nuo noticed Little Jiang suddenly look towards the school entrance.
A slender girl in a white dress walked out slowly.
She carried a satchel made of yellowish-green canvas, wore white sneakers, and her long hair was styled into two glossy black braids.
Her features were delicate and pretty, truly embodying the dream girl of boys from that era.
Little Jiang visibly tensed for a moment, then took a deep breath, pulled an ice pop from the box, and waited for the girl to approach...
"School’s out?"
"Yes, it’s over," the girl replied with a shy smile.
Chen Nuo watched from the side, sighing inwardly.
Who would have thought? Mrs. Song Qiaoyun was quite pretty when she was young.
But why did her oval face later become a chubby, round one?
Huh?
That’s not right!
I remember Old Jiang is supposed to be several years older than Mrs. Song!
Judging by Little Jiang’s age in this dream...
Mrs. Song should still be a snot-nosed little girl at this time!
「 」
The girl greeted him, then chuckled softly. "Well, I’ll head home then."
With that, she flicked her braids and made to leave.
"Shufen!" Little Jiang suddenly blurted out, gritting his teeth. He took a few steps forward and pressed the ice pop into the girl’s hand.
"Here, th-this is for you..."
Having said that, Little Jiang’s face flushed crimson. He didn’t dare look at the girl’s expression and turned to walk back.
Chen Nuo stood rooted to the spot, watching the scene...
HOLY CRAP!!!
Shufen??
This isn’t my Mrs. Song!
Good old Jiang Fusheng! To think he had such a romantic entanglement in his youth!
Chen Xiaoguo suddenly let out a few sly chuckles...
Just as Little Jiang returned to his bicycle, a hand suddenly clapped him on the shoulder from behind.
Little Jiang turned around.
His expression changed drastically!
Behind him stood a middle-aged woman with a plump, round face that beamed with joy when she smiled.
"Old Jiang, isn’t it time to hand over the rations? Come home early today..."
「 」
"DAMN IT!!"
In the bedroom, Old Jiang jolted and sat bolt upright in bed.
He was panting heavily!
Glancing at his wife lying beside him in the darkness, Old Jiang composed himself.
He touched his head and gave a wry smile.
Sigh! What a bizarre, nonsensical dream.
Getting on in years, and still dreaming about such things.
Old Jiang sighed, smiled ruefully, pinched his thigh, and lay back down.
This time, however, he gently hugged his wife from behind.
Song Qiaoyun, half-asleep, instinctively reached her hand back and gently patted Old Jiang’s leg.
"Had a nightmare?"
"Mhm..."
"Everything okay?"
"It’s fine..."
"Go back to sleep then..."
"Okay..."
This time, Old Jiang closed his eyes again and fell into a profoundly peaceful sleep.
「 」
Chen Nuo sat on the rooftop, slowly opening his eyes. A flicker of joy danced in his gaze!
Consciousness Space fissure repair: 2/17
It worked!!
Interacting spiritually with Ability Users can repair my fissures!
「 」
"Sir, in your current condition, it would be best to stay in the hospital for further observation..."
The nurse at the airport clinic patiently tried to persuade the patient before her.
Partly, it was her duty.
Partly, it was because the patient was, after all, a foreign guest.
"NO! I must be discharged immediately! Otherwise, I *will* die here!!"
A middle-aged Caucasian man was yelling in terror.
Jinling! I have to get to Jinling!!!
「 」
[Monthly tickets, oh monthly tickets, come to me~~ BANG BANG BANG!]