PCJ – Chapter 273 Submission

Several black cat leaders were chased all over the place by a pack of mountain dogs and only managed to escape after climbing trees. Even when they reached the mountains, they didn’t dare run around recklessly and headed straight back to their lair. Throughout the night, black cats returned one after another, but the fat cat was nowhere to be seen. The fat cat was their spiritual pillar. They had grown accustomed to following its leadership and doing everything according to its arrangements, enjoying a carefree life in Meishan.

The black cat leaders, who had always been competitive, could live in peace under the fat cat’s command. But now that the fat cat might not return, the atmosphere became tense, with the black cat leaders becoming confrontational. Black cats from different factions immediately took sides, showing no concern for whether the fat cat was still alive. If the fat cat knew this, it might even prefer to hang itself with the wire.

“Grrr!”

The fat cat’s stomach growled loudly. It had been hungry all night and was now both hungry and tired. Seeing the current situation, it seemed that there might not be any food for it, so it decided to just sleep.

“Woof woof!”

Before it could close its eyes, the mountain leopard immediately put down the bones it had been crunching and barked fiercely.

The fat cat’s body shivered, and it opened its eyes.

Zhang Jiagen, startled, had been napping lightly. He took a bamboo stick and hit the fat cat a few times. “You still want to sleep? I’ll beat you to death!”

“Meow!” The fat cat cried out in pain. It had hoped that its subordinates would risk their lives to rescue it, but after waiting all night, there was no movement. It was indeed unreliable.

Chen Shunchang and his wife had prepared dinner for Zhang Jiaohua and the others, and after a long night of work, everyone was hungry.

“When are you and your wife going back?” Zhang Wenrong, holding a large bowl of rice and vegetables, was preparing to bring it to Zhang Jiagen.

“It’s late, and it’s not really urgent. All the chickens and ducks were harmed by the black cats that night. We don’t have pigs at home. We’ll wait until dawn to go back. Why, are you trying to drive us away?” Chen Shunchang and his wife were serving food at the stove.

“Not at all. I’m just asking. Since we’ve caught the black cat leaders, the remaining black cats probably won’t go to Meishan anymore. If they come, they’ll probably come to our garden.” Zhang Wenrong’s words had some implications.

“It seems we’ve caused trouble for Jiaohua. If we hadn’t come, the black cats might not have come to the garden,” Chen Shunchang said awkwardly.

“Guest, don’t say that. We don’t mean that,” Zhang Wenrong quickly replied.

Zhang Jiaohua also spoke up, “Let the black cats come. We’re not afraid of them. I’ve raised so many mountain dogs, not for nothing. It’s good to use these black cats to train them. Today’s experience will make them much stronger.”

At this moment, Jin Hu tugged at Zhang Jiaohua’s sleeve. Zhang Jiaohua stood up, knowing that Jin Hu must have something to discuss with him, and put down his bowl to follow Jin Hu outside.

“Jiaohua, are you not eating?” Zhang Hanggao asked in surprise.

“Leave it there. I’m going outside to check,” Zhang Jiaohua replied over his shoulder.

Zhang Hanggao, feeling nervous, immediately stood up. “What’s going on? Are the black cats coming again?”

“No, no. Don’t worry. I’m just going for a walk. You continue eating,” Zhang Jiaohua’s voice came from outside the house.

Zhang Jiaohua followed Jin Hu and was led to the place where the fat cat was being held.

“Jiaohua, why are you here? We’re guarding this place, so there’s no problem. Besides, the leopard is guarding it too. The fat cat is tied up like this, and you even put a talisman on it. I don’t believe it can escape,” Zhang Wenrong said.

“Right, and I’m here too.” Zhang Jiagen, who had been about to go eat, stopped when he saw Zhang Jiaohua coming over.

“You two go eat. I’ll handle this for now. You can come back later,” Zhang Jiaohua said without further explanation.

Zhang Jiagen wanted to say more, but Zhang Wenrong noticed Zhang Jiaohua had something to do and pulled Zhang Jiagen out. “Jiaohua, call out if you need anything. I’ll be outside.”

Once Zhang Wenrong and Zhang Jiagen left, Zhang Jiaohua spoke to the fat cat, “You want to surrender? But you’ve done so many bad things. Keeping you would just bring trouble to myself.”

The fat cat nodded at first, then quickly shook its head. Zhang Jiaohua could sense from the fat cat’s thoughts that it felt it hadn’t harmed anyone. When people came to ask for divination, it only charged a small fee.

“You say you haven’t harmed anyone, but Zhang Genxin from Meizitang went to you for treatment, and I know his illness didn’t improve but rather worsened. How can you say you haven’t harmed anyone?” Zhang Jiaohua glared at the fat cat, still angry. Zhang Genxin had been misled by the fat cat, ended up resenting Zhang Jiaohua, and had returned the talisman, causing unpleasantness. All of this was the fat cat’s fault.

The fat cat still believed it hadn’t caused harm. Even if it hadn’t done anything, Zhang Genxin wouldn’t have lived any longer. It even made Zhang Genxin feel less pain, which it considered a good deed.

Zhang Jiaohua couldn’t refute that. It made sense that Zhang Genxin’s condition, already incurable, might end more mercifully with death.

“Is Liu Fengying going to die?” Zhang Jiaohua asked.

“She wasn’t a good person either. Even if I controlled her, she would still want to seek revenge against you,” the fat cat quickly relayed.

“But keeping you around is like keeping a time bomb,” Zhang Jiaohua shook his head.

“You can leave a mark on my soul, and you can control my life and death at any time. I will have to obey you from now on,” the fat cat offered a suggestion to Zhang Jiaohua.

It then offered its soul, allowing Zhang Jiaohua to leave a mark on it. Zhang Jiaohua considered it and decided to make a soul imprint. The fat cat’s every move would be under Zhang Jiaohua’s surveillance. This way, there would be no worry of the fat cat harboring any ill intentions.

“Why are you surrendering so easily?” Zhang Jiaohua asked, puzzled.

“Because if I don’t surrender, I might not survive until morning. I’m starving,” the fat cat said with a pitiful look, its stomach growling again. “Can you give me something to eat? I’m starving.”

“Woof woof!” The mountain leopard, seeing the fat cat’s pitiful state, was most displeased.

“Wenrong, come over,” Zhang Jiaohua called out.

“How?” Zhang Wenrong quickly ran over, empty-handed.

“Let it go,” Zhang Jiaohua pointed at the fat cat.