Chapter Eleven: The Black Cat

Shen Lie hid by the second-floor window, peering out anxiously. Sure enough, it wasn’t long before three spider monsters—one large and two small—emerged from the corner of another street. His expression grew tense. If there had only been one or two, he might have managed, but three at once was more than he could handle. The large one was especially daunting; from his long dealings in the other world, he had come to dread these high-level spider monsters. A single one of them was harder to deal with than ten lesser beasts. He’d nearly lost his life to such creatures several times.

He lowered his body further and calmed his breathing as much as possible. These advanced spider monsters had incredibly keen senses, and caution was paramount. He didn’t know if there might be an entire pack nearby, but if he was discovered, he wouldn’t even have the chance to escape. He’d only just managed to escape from that terrifying place in the other world—he couldn't afford to lose his life here.

The three spiders lingered at the intersection, scanning the surroundings for a long while, but ultimately failed to detect Shen Lie’s presence. The large one uttered a strange call, and then the trio disappeared from his view.

Shen Lie breathed a quiet sigh of relief. He realized this small town was no longer safe and he needed to leave as soon as possible. With monsters like these present, he doubted any survivors remained, unless there was a stationed army. Otherwise, these three creatures were enough to slaughter everyone in town, and clearly, there was no military outpost here.

He retreated quietly back into the room. Only now did he have time to take in his surroundings. In his earlier haste, he hadn’t noticed that he was inside an inn. The spot where he stood was right beside the front desk, with a window behind him and a long corridor stretching out ahead, flanked by guest rooms on either side.

He hefted his backpack, then approached a shelf near the reception. To his surprise, there was still a fair amount of food—instant noodles, sausages, bottled water. It was just what he needed for his imminent departure.

He stuffed a large bag with instant noodles and sausages, grabbed a few bottles of water, and stopped once his pack felt heavy enough. More supplies would be better, of course, but he couldn’t risk slowing himself down. As for the idea of taking a car, he dismissed it for now—the engine noise would only attract the spiders. Maybe once he was clear of the town, he could reconsider.

“Who’s there?”

Just as he finished packing and was about to head downstairs, a faint sound came from the far end of the corridor, putting him instantly on high alert. He raised the black short spear before his chest.

No answer came.

Shen Lie frowned, wondering if he was just being paranoid, but quickly dismissed the thought. Since his body had mutated, his senses had become exceptionally sharp. The sound he’d just heard was real—he couldn’t have been mistaken.

“Could it be a survivor hiding out?” Shen Lie’s eyes lit up at the possibility.

He hadn’t spoken to another person in three months, and the urge for human contact was strong. With this hope in mind, he turned and headed down the corridor.

“Meow!”

Just as Shen Lie reached the first guest room and was about to push the door open, a black shadow shot out from the adjacent room with a low, menacing growl.

A wave of savage energy surged toward him. Without hesitation, he rolled nimbly to the side and, channeling the mutated energy within his body, gripped his short spear in his gold-tinged hand and struck fiercely at the dark shape.

With a muffled thud, he felt a powerful impact and was sent rolling back several times, landing beside the reception desk.

There was no time to think. Shen Lie sprang to his feet, eyes fixed on the dark figure, ready for another attack.

It was only now that he got a clear look at his assailant—a massive black cat, a small bell dangling from its neck. The earlier sound must have come from that bell. But this cat was far larger than any housecat—bigger even than a clumsy dog. Its eyes glowed crimson as it glared at him, emitting a low, guttural roar.

Was this a cat or a tiger? Shen Lie couldn’t help but grimace at the sight of the giant feline. Ever since he’d encountered that mutant elm tree, he’d suspected that if plants could mutate, so could animals—perhaps even humans. After all, he himself was proof of that.

Though he’d considered the possibility, seeing it with his own eyes made his heart race with caution. Since his mutation, a mysterious energy had emerged within him; once channeled, it gave him immense strength and turned the focused area golden—what he assumed was a manifestation of supernatural power.

If he could gain such abilities, then mutated animals might possess their own terrifying powers. The black cat before him could very well be one such creature.

“Meow!”

The mutant cat’s call broke his train of thought. Shen Lie pressed himself against the bar, eyes roving over the beast, searching for a weakness.

Then he noticed a small wound on the cat’s forepaw—likely from his earlier counterattack. Perhaps the creature wasn’t as invincible as it seemed; as long as he could penetrate its defenses, it would be manageable.

Still, the cat’s resilience was astounding. He wasn’t sure what material his black spear was made from, but it could easily pierce the armored exoskeletons of spider monsters. Without it, he wouldn’t have survived so long in the other world. Yet this cat had sustained only a minor injury—its toughness rivaled that of high-level spider monsters.

After being wounded, the giant cat refrained from acting rashly. It simply flexed its paw against the floor, occasionally letting out a low, threatening meow.

Man and beast stared each other down for over a minute. Shen Lie was the first to crack—not from lack of patience, but fear that the cat’s calls would draw the three spider monsters back. Even if he killed the cat, he’d only end up as food for the spiders.

Unable to hold back, Shen Lie suddenly grabbed a calculator from the bar and hurled it at the cat. As the feline tensed to dodge, he lunged in, spear glowing gold in his grip, and thrust with all his might.

It was his strongest attack, but to his shock, he didn’t even graze the cat’s fur. The beast was astonishingly agile, easily dodging aside and looking back at Shen Lie with a distinctly mocking, almost human expression.

“Meow!” The failed assault enraged the cat, which immediately counterattacked. One paw shot up, claws gleaming like daggers. Shen Lie’s hair stood on end; he channeled all his energy into the spear and clashed with the beast once more.

He was slammed against the wall, the force injuring his internal organs. Coughing, he wiped blood from the corner of his mouth.

But the cat hadn’t escaped unscathed either—a claw had been broken off by Shen Lie’s blow, and the creature let out a piercing wail of pain.

Now, mutual wariness settled in, and man and beast fell into another stalemate, this time lasting two or three minutes. Shen Lie racked his brain for a solution, when suddenly, from outside, came three shrill cries—one long, two short.

Shen Lie’s face went pale. The calls belonged to the three spider monsters that had just left. His fears were realized—the cat’s racket had drawn them back.

The situation turned dire. Shen Lie had no time to hesitate; he prepared to attack, hoping to drive the cat back long enough to escape.

But the black cat reacted even faster. At the first sound of the spiders’ cries, its ears perked up, and it whirled, leaping through the side window in a shower of shattered glass.

Shen Lie was momentarily stunned, but the outcome was exactly what he’d hoped for. Taking a deep breath, he moved toward the stairs—but reconsidered at the last moment. Instead, he slipped out through a window at the other end of the corridor and quickly climbed up to the roof of the small two-story building.