Chapter Three: If Only I Had Known Today, Why Did I Act That Way Back Then

Several cats were kicking me so fiercely that I could barely catch my breath, yet I still struggled desperately, biting and clawing back at them. Seeing that I was no match for them, Xiaoyun mustered her courage and joined the fray, helping me kick away those cats who had crouched, ready to attack.

After being attacked together by Xiaoyun and me, the cats only grew more relentless. One of them bit down hard on my collar while another opened its mouth wide, going straight for my neck! Sharp teeth sank into my flesh, making me yowl in pain, and then I went wild, flailing my claws in a frenzy.

Two of the cats were thrown off by my wild struggle, but at that moment I noticed the black cat's smile growing ever more sinister. Xiaoyun, too, had several bloody scratches on her body and was panting heavily.

The next moment, the cats who had run off earlier came back, each wearing a malicious grin as they stared at me.

“Rebecca is coming,” a small calico whispered in the black cat’s ear.

“Ha—just in time,” the black cat let out a soft laugh, and the cats around her immediately collapsed to the ground, wailing pitifully.

They all pretended to be injured or lame, their faces full of sorrow and misery.

“You two little wretches, just wait and see who gets punished—nothing is certain yet!”

I was stunned, finally realizing that the black cat had come looking for trouble from the very start!

“Remember this: if you dare try to seduce the master again, your fate will be far worse than today!” After issuing her warning, the black cat also lay down, while I watched in confusion as the surrounding cats parted to make way.

Once they had cleared a path, a long-haired white Persian cat appeared before us all.

I recognized this cat—her collar was jet black and sometimes she would sit by the master’s feet, looking down on the rest of us.

Her movements as she approached were slow, graceful to the extreme, each pawstep elegant. Her eyes were a pale, clear blue, gleaming like gemstones.

“What happened here?” she tilted her head, gazing at me and Xiaoyun, both of us covered in wounds.

Perhaps because we two were white cats, we looked far more miserable than the black and tortoiseshell ones—our bodies streaked with pale red blood and torn fur.

“Rebecca, Bai Qianqian provoked us!” the little calico blurted out before I could say a word.

“That’s not true!” I slammed my paw down, desperate to explain.

“She even threatened us with vicious words, telling us not to compete with her for fetal souls!” another cat tattled.

I was so furious I could hardly think—how could I possibly explain the truth?

Rebecca glanced at me, her pale blue eyes filled with disdain, then turned away, flicking her tail in a slow circle before speaking softly.

“All of you, come with me to see the master.”

The black cat shot me a mocking look, then followed behind Rebecca.

I seethed with anger, but I knew this cat was different—her status was likely even higher than the soul-guarding cats, not someone I could defy.

So, face puffed in indignation, I limped along behind Rebecca.

Xiaoyun brushed her tail against my back, as if to comfort me.

When we reached the master’s hall, he was reading a bamboo scroll-like book. Noticing a group of cats enter, he set the scroll aside and looked at Rebecca in puzzlement.

Rebecca gave a brief report of what had happened, but she only shared what she’d heard from the kittens, not the truth.

I stood up, furious, and protested: “That’s not how it happened! They were the ones who provoked me first!”

Rebecca looked back at me, her gaze full of pity, as if I were truly pitiable.

The master didn’t reply, only swept his eyes coolly over the assembly of cats.

“Take them all away. They’ll sleep in the cat quarters tonight.”

“Yes,” Rebecca bowed her head slightly, accepting the order.

My fur bristled all over—I truly didn’t understand what this meant!

All the cats drooped in dejection. A group of yellow tabbies entered from outside, each with chains in their mouths, expertly snapping them onto the collars of the others.

One approached me, intending to fasten a chain around my neck as well. I growled in warning, but she ignored me and persisted.

I became even more defiant, biting at the chain and shaking my head to resist.

All the cats watched me struggle in silence—even Xiaoyun simply wore her chain and watched, silent and subdued.

“Are you dissatisfied?” Wangchuan suddenly spoke, his smile sending a chill down my spine.

The other cats halted, gazing at him with devout expressions.

“Yes!” I nodded resolutely. “They were the ones who provoked me first! They called it a warning!”

The cats who’d picked the fight clearly hadn’t expected me to speak out—their bodies trembled slightly.

Wangchuan waved a hand. “Come here.”

I trembled, but forced myself to pad to his feet, looking up at him seated in his chair.

He reached out and ran his hand over my wounds, then, without mercy, grasped the scruff of my neck and lifted me up.

He truly handled me as if I were a piece of rubbish, his gaze icy and frightening. With my scruff pinched, I was left weak and limp, dangling helplessly from his hand.

“Why did they provoke you?”

“I don’t know.” I puffed out my cheeks in anger. “They said… they said…”

“Hm?” His voice was melodious, almost hypnotic.

None of the cats below dared make a sound. Though I was embarrassed and reluctant to speak, seeing their fear gave me courage.

“They told me not to seduce you!”

Wangchuan looked at me, a flicker of amusement in his bright eyes. He set me on his lap, his slender fingers waving before my eyes before landing under my chin, scratching softly.

I’d never felt anything like it before—it made me purr quietly with pleasure, eyes half-shut, overcome by the ticklish, delightful sensation. I pressed into his hand, wanting more.

“Is that so?” he asked, glancing at the kittens below—but none dared answer.

Only Xiaoyun stepped forward. “It’s true, master. I can testify—Qianqian didn’t lie, it was Ningning and the others who attacked her first.”

Lost in the strange, ticklish pleasure, I barely noticed the other cats’ reactions.

I could guess why they were angry; perhaps it was because the master had been gentler to me lately, even stroking my head that morning.

All of the master’s cats were female. I never understood why.

Judging by their demeanor, these cats all worshipped the master.

Truthfully, I felt the same, inexplicably devoted to him, yet never jealous when he favored or touched other cats.

I didn’t know what the others were so envious about, or what right they had to be.

Honestly, I wished I could stay far from him every day—hunting for fetal souls in the human world was far easier than enduring his cold smile.

After a long while, Wangchuan’s hand stopped scratching my chin, finally giving me a chance to catch my breath.

Then his quiet judgment fell: “Take the rest away. Qianyun and Bai Qianqian stay.”

Rebecca gave me a glance, her expression unreadable, but her whiskers twitched noticeably.

All the other cats were silently led away, including Ningning the black cat, who kept glaring at me until she was gone.

Only Qianyun, Rebecca, and I remained in the hall.

Wangchuan’s gaze turned cold and his hand gripped my collar, yanking me up until I was level with his face.

His features, though strikingly handsome, were so cold that I shivered, wishing I could hide my eyes with my paws.

My body trembled, the collar choking me so I could hardly breathe, but I didn’t dare move—a silent plea for his judgment.

At length, he spoke.

“Since you are my cat now, you must obey the rules. The others arrived before you—respect them. No matter the reason, you must not fight. Understand?”

“Yes…” I nodded dully, nearly suffocating.

Having heard my answer, Wangchuan’s lips curled into a cold smile. Then, with a smack, he tossed me to the ground like an old rag.

“Are you all right?” Qianyun hurried to my side.

“I’m fine…” I gasped weakly, barely able to stand from the pain in my paws.

“Rebecca, take them to the cat quarters. Don’t lock them with the others. From tomorrow, bring back double the fetal souls. If you fail, you’ll remain locked up.”

“Yes.” Rebecca accepted the order respectfully, then approached a yellow cat, who brought over the chains.

I wanted to resist, but seeing Wangchuan’s terrifying gaze, I dared not move and let myself be chained and led away.

But what happened next became a nightmare I could never have imagined!

The cat quarters were like a torture chamber, cold and grim, with iron chains hanging from the ceiling. Rebecca fastened my collar to one wall, and the ceiling chains slid down naturally.

I instinctively tried to dodge, but my body wouldn’t move. Beside me, Qianyun let out a stifled cry.

Seeing Qianyun, I began to tremble all over.

Those iron chains ended with massive hooks that pierced through the base of Qianyun’s tail, hoisting her up.

Rebecca slapped me on the forehead, and before I could react, a sharp agony shot through me. I screamed, my claws scrabbling everywhere.

The hook pierced through the bone of my tail as well, and as the chain pulled upward, my entire body weight hung from my poor tail.

“Meeooow—!!” Instinctively, I howled in agony, raw and heart-wrenching.

When the chain on my neck was taut, the hook finally stopped rising. I hung in the air, neither dead nor alive, howling as tears filled my eyes.

That pain, piercing to the marrow, was as if someone were tugging on my human spine—I convulsed with agony.

“Pitiful,” Rebecca sighed. “You should have thought of this before. Remember to bring double the fetal souls tomorrow, or else… tsk, tsk…”