Chapter 147: Orange Cat
Wild cats usually move quietly, with light footsteps, so they normally wouldn’t have been detected.
However, with Xia the cat in their group—being a cat himself—he was highly sensitive to the scent and sounds of his own kind. The wild cats outside were exposed before they could make a move.
The group discreetly lifted a corner of the truck’s tarp.
It was the middle of the night, with no stars or moon, so the light was very dim.
Fortunately, it had snowed recently, and the reflection from the snow provided just enough light for them to spot some movement in the shadows.
Kong Zhi was standing watch outside. Although he hadn’t seen the wild cats, he sensed something was off and was gripping his gun, staring into the darkness.
As soon as Xia Lu Nong and the others spoke, Kong Zhi noticed them.
Kong Zhi looked over and asked, “What’s happening?”
Xia Huo Qu put on his coat and jumped down from the truck, saying, “Xia Lu Nong says there’s a group of wild cats outside. I’m going to check it out.”
Yan Xi Nian followed closely behind.
Kong Zhi said, “I’ll fly up and take a look.”
With the advantage of his beast form, Kong Zhi quickly stripped off his clothes and shifted into a golden eagle.
Xia Lu Nong nervously watched him from behind.
The golden eagle soared into the night sky.
The massive shadow disappeared from view almost instantly, blending into the dark. Even if they strained their eyes, they could no longer see him—let alone the wild cats on the ground.
Those wild cats were stealthily approaching, planning to ambush them, unaware that the giant golden eagle above had already spotted them.
Kong Zhi’s sharp eyes swept over the group of wild cats.
They looked scrawny and rough.
Unlike domestic cats, they were neither soft nor round. Their faces were angular and harsh, giving them a fierce appearance.
Several of the wild cats had visible scars.
The leader was a large orange cat, covered in scars, with cold, sharp eyes that gave it the air of a seasoned boss.
With just one glance, Kong Zhi could tell this group of wild cats was not to be underestimated.
Kong Zhi quickly counted them. There were over eighty wild cats in total.
That was a terrifying number.
Cats aren’t naturally social animals, so it was unclear when or why these cats had come together or how long they had been cooperating.
One thing was certain—they weren’t new to working as a team.
Having assessed the situation, Kong Zhi glanced at the cats on the ground, then suddenly swooped down, grabbed the orange cat leader, and flew off with it into the distance, flapping his wings powerfully.
The sudden attack on the cat pack left them all startled. They froze in place, meowing anxiously, overwhelmed by fear.
Kong Zhi, used to snatching up cats, had the large orange cat firmly gripped in his talons, unharmed but trapped.
The orange cat was distressed, meowing loudly as it tried to swipe at Kong Zhi. However, Kong Zhi was prepared and easily avoided the cat’s claws.
A few minutes later, Kong Zhi flew back to their temporary base, landed, and dropped the orange cat on the ground.
Xia Huo Qu and Yan Xi Nian acted quickly. Before the orange cat could launch an attack, they grabbed it by the scruff, lifting the large feline into the air.
The orange cat tried to scratch them but could only arch its back and dangle its paws, glaring at them after being caught by the scruff.
Yan Xi Nian chuckled at the sight. “Xia Lu Nong’s beast form looks like a completely different species compared to this big orange cat.”
Xia Lu Nong, slightly indignant, poked his head out of the truck and said, “I just don’t need to be fierce all the time, okay? If I wanted to be, I could be just as tough.”
Xia Huo Qu gestured to him. “Come over here and see if you can communicate with this orange cat.”
Sometimes, those in animal form could communicate with wild animals of the same species. For example, Xia Huo Qu found it easier to interact with wild dogs.
Xia Lu Nong eyed the fierce orange cat and muttered, “Even if I can communicate with it, I doubt it’ll want to.”
Xia Huo Qu replied, “Just give it a try.”
“Fine, I’ll shift and give it a shot.” Xia Lu Nong looked at the aggressive orange cat in his brother’s hands and added, “Make sure you hold it tight so it doesn’t scratch me.”
Xia Huo Qu shot him a look, telling him without words to stop talking nonsense.
Xia Lu Nong grinned, shifted into his animal form—a sweet-looking forest cat—and stood beside them.
His beast form had grown much larger now, easily a size bigger than the orange cat. Yet, despite his size, there was a softness to his appearance, lacking the fierce, intimidating aura of the orange cat.
As soon as the orange cat spotted him, it bared its teeth and hissed, looking both angry and hostile.
The orange cat appeared furious.
Xia Lu Nong, in his cat form, let out a tentative “meow.”
The orange cat responded with a low growl.
Xia Lu Nong tried to communicate, but the orange cat was intelligent enough to warn him to stay away.
Every time Xia Lu Nong attempted to “meow,” the orange cat interrupted with growls and even tried to swipe at him.
Xia Lu Nong tilted his head, assessing the situation, then flattened his ears against his head and let out a low growl of his own.
He’d tried the polite approach; now it was time to show some force.
Though Xia Lu Nong had never actually fought another cat before, he wasn’t afraid of this one.
In fact, Xia Lu Nong had never looked this fierce in his life.
When he bared his little fangs, both Xia Huo Qu and Yan Xi Nian were taken aback.
The orange cat’s eyes grew even fiercer as it lashed out with its limbs, trying to attack both Xia Lu Nong on the ground and Xia Huo Qu, who was holding it.
Xia Lu Nong narrowed his eyes, then sprang forward and gave the orange cat a swift series of rapid punches with his paws.
The orange cat wasn’t hurt, but it was clearly dazed.
It stared at Xia Lu Nong on the ground, momentarily confused.
Xia Lu Nong glanced at his brother.
Xia Huo Qu, understanding immediately, let go of the orange cat without hesitation.
Once freed, the orange cat leaped up and immediately chased after Xia Lu Nong, ready to fight back.
However, Xia Lu Nong, not being an ordinary cat, had much more experience in combat. On top of that, his size advantage was significant.
The orange cat’s scratches and bites were no match for Xia Lu Nong’s thick fur, and after a few swift moves, Xia Lu Nong pinned the orange cat to the ground, biting its scruff in a show of dominance.
The orange cat, undeterred, tried to fight back several times but failed each time.
Xia Lu Nong had no intention of seriously hurting it, but seeing its persistence, his own aggression flared up. He let the orange cat go, only to pounce and pin it down again repeatedly.
This happened thirteen times.
By the fourteenth round, the orange cat finally gave up, lying flat on the ground in submission.
Xia Lu Nong, exhausted after using up his powers earlier that afternoon, flopped down beside it, too tired to move.
But despite his fatigue, Xia Lu Nong felt that all the effort had been worth it.
While he could communicate with the orange cat, the conversation wasn’t exactly smooth.
After exchanging several “meows,” Xia Lu Nong finally learned that this group of cats had been kept by the bears.
To say the bears “kept” them wasn’t quite accurate. More precisely, the bears allowed the cats to hunt within their territory.
Occasionally, the bears would even leave food for the cats, but in return, the cats had to do the bears’ bidding when needed.
After communicating with the orange cat, Xia Lu Nong returned to the truck, changed back into his clothes, and explained the situation.
Xia Huo Qu frowned. “Those bears are smart enough to use cats to help them hunt? Are they really that intelligent?”
Kong Zhi said, “Not necessarily, but they’re definitely a force to be reckoned with.”
Xia Lu Nong, wrapped in a blanket and sitting by the fire, added, “I think it’s more instinct than real cunning. No matter how clever they get, they can’t outsmart humans. But now that they’re using cats as scouts, it’s much easier for them to catch people off guard.”
Yan Xi Nian asked, “Do the cats live with the bears?”
“Not exactly.” Xia Lu Nong tilted his head to ask the orange cat, who was locked in the basket, then confirmed, “The cats don’t trust the bears either. It’s more of a mutually beneficial arrangement. But if the bears get too hungry, they’ll eat the cats. Several have already been eaten.”
“Interesting,” Yan Xi Nian mused. “Ask the orange cat if it’s willing to cooperate with us.”
Xia Huo Qu glanced at Yan Xi Nian and immediately understood his intention. “You want to eliminate this group of bears?”
“Yes,” Yan Xi Nian replied. “These bears may be cunning, but they are still just beasts with no weapons or strategies. If we plan carefully, and with the help of the cat pack, it shouldn’t be too hard to take care of them.”
Yan Xi Nian’s gaze swept over the group. “This is a high-risk, high-reward operation.”
Kong Zhi was the first to agree. “I think it’s worth it. Those bears have killed so many people; we can’t let them stay here.”
When wild beasts grow stronger, it restricts the space where humans can survive.
Yan Xi Nian continued, “I imagine the cats would be eager as well. If we get rid of the bears, this whole territory becomes theirs. With plenty of food, they can thrive and hunt freely.”
With two in agreement, all eyes turned to Xia Huo Qu and Xia Lu Nong.
Xia Lu Nong nodded. “I’m in too. I feel closer to cats than those bears anyway.”
Xia Huo Qu agreed, “Alright, let’s do it.”
With unanimous approval, they needed to continue communicating with the cats.
They released the big orange cat, instructing it to bring over its companions. The orange cat bared its teeth, unwilling to comply, but Xia Lu Nong transformed back into his cat form and gave it another solid beating, quickly forcing the orange cat into submission.
Unable to fight back against Xia Lu Nong or escape from Kong Zhi in the sky, the orange cat had no choice but to gather its subordinates.
Xia Lu Nong, after confirming that the cats had no intention of attacking humans, treated them well by feeding them some fish.
Under a policy of “carrot and stick,” the cat pack quickly showed a willingness to cooperate.
However, during the earlier exchanges, the orange cat had concealed some information.
Through continued communication with the pack, Xia Lu Nong managed to extract the location of the bears’ settlement, their usual routes, and where they stored their goods.
The orange cat, more intelligent than the average feline, was furious but could do nothing but meow in frustration.
Xia Huo Qu handed the orange cat another fish and put it back in the basket.
Xia Lu Nong soon learned everything he needed, transformed back into human form, and said, “We’ve got a chance! The bears only come together to hunt in groups. Most of the time, they act separately. If we send false messages through the cats, we can take them out one by one.”
“Let’s plan it out and discuss the strategy,” Yan Xi Nian said.
Xia Lu Nong’s eyes sparkled. “Oh, one more thing. Many humans have challenged the bears, but after escaping, the bears collected their spoils. Apparently, there’s an armored vehicle among them.”
Yan Xi Nian laughed. “Well, that’s a stroke of luck.”
