The Black Cat That Gained Sentience

Cheng Han spent an hour battling away in the kitchen and turned out four dishes.

They were half a pot of glistening Braised Rabbit Meat, half a pot of fragrant Braised Rabbit, a plate of Dry-Fried Rabbit Meat, and Lettuce Mushroom Stir-Fried Rabbit Meat.

In short, a Full Rabbit Feast!

Throughout the cooking process, the Black Cat had remained on full-time watch, staring unblinkingly at the food in the pots. It was the very picture of a greedy cat.

Cheng Han set aside some food and poured it into the Sheriff's bowl. Smiling, he said, "Kept you waiting, didn't I? Go on, eat."

The Black Cat eagerly crowded over and began wolfing it down, occasionally letting out soft purrs.

That was how it showed its happiness.

Cheng Han picked up a piece of Braised Rabbit Meat, put it in his mouth, and chewed a few times before grinning smugly. "My cooking is getting better and better."

The rabbit had been stewed for a long time, leaving the meat tender and soft, with an excellent flavor.

This was mainly thanks to several seasonings he had discovered.

For example—the Three-Sided Leaf Fern.

It was a plant Feathered Beasts loved to eat. Cheng Han had used the Eye of Omniscience to analyze it and obtained an unexpected result.

If a batch of its roots and stems were collected, their juice extracted and filtered to remove impurities, then added to raw meat, it could produce an extraordinary tenderizing effect.

In professional terms, Three-Sided Leaf Fern contained a protease that broke down coarse, tough muscle proteins into smaller protein molecules, making them easier to digest.

That was the essence of "tenderizing."

And that was precisely why the Black Cat had grown increasingly fond of its master's cooking.

However, Cheng Han did not eat much.

After tasting each dish and finishing less than half a bowl of rice, he set down his chopsticks. "Sheriff, take your time."

The Black Cat immediately stopped eating, raised its head to look at its master, and meowed several times in a row. "Meow~ Meow~"

With the Fragmented Imprint of Spirit Control, Cheng Han understood what the Sheriff meant.

It was asking: You usually eat two big bowls. Why are you eating so little today? The Black Cat looked down at the rabbit meat in its bowl, then raised its head toward the ceiling and waved a paw. "Meow~"

It meant: Do you think Cave Rabbit tastes bad? Shall I catch birds tomorrow instead? Cheng Han could not help laughing at its gestures. "I ate too much for lunch. Cave Rabbit tastes quite good, so keep catching rabbits in the future."

Only after the Black Cat gave its master's stomach a few concerned glances did it lower its head and resume eating.

Honestly, the interaction between this man and cat did not feel much like that of a master and pet. It was more like two humans having a conversation.

Cheng Han looked at the Black Cat and chuckled. "Sometimes, I really suspect there may be a human soul hidden inside you."

The Black Cat kept its head down as it ate, but its ears perked up.

Cheng Han continued, "When I first met you outside the Textile Factory, I went home and performed a Deduction. I foresaw Ghost Claw draining all your blood and flesh.

"I originally thought it was just a coincidence, but now that I think about it, Ghost Claw may have sensed your uniqueness and taken your soul because of it."

"Meow~"

The Black Cat flicked its tail.

After finishing its food, the Black Cat licked its bowl spotlessly clean, then picked it up in its mouth, jumped onto the counter, and placed it in the sink.

It stretched out a front paw and deftly turned on the faucet.

"Splash~"

Clear water immediately flowed out.

The Black Cat turned its head and raised its voice. "Meow~"

It was calling for its master, asking him to wash the bowl.

After living with humans for only a few days, this cat had quickly learned human habits. It insisted on washing its food bowl every day and would rather go hungry otherwise.

After washing the bowl, Cheng Han picked up a bamboo cover and covered the food.

Although this world had no refrigerators, the nighttime temperature was low enough that leaving leftovers out overnight would not cause them to spoil.

After finishing all this, Cheng Han beckoned to the Black Cat. "Sheriff, come over. Let's talk!"

The Black Cat jumped onto the sofa and stared steadily at its master.

Cheng Han first gave its head a stroke before speaking. "Something rather terrible happened at school yesterday..."

He briefly recounted the Grass Hound incident and explained in detail the role Qin Zi Cheng had played in it.

The Black Cat was unbelievably intelligent. It could catch birds and rabbits with ease, and could feed the whole household by itself. How could Cheng Han treat it like an ordinary cat? Letting it understand the full picture would give full play to its initiative, and perhaps yield unexpected gains.

Cheng Han spoke at length. "As far as I know, Qin Zi Cheng has never shown any outstanding ability at school. He most likely hasn't mastered any supernatural power himself.

"So I strongly suspect that Qin Zi Cheng accidentally obtained a very powerful item, and he is currently exploring its functions.

"The Grass Hound incident at the Botanical Garden was likely a small experiment conducted by him."

The Black Cat listened with great focus.

Cheng Han's tone grew somewhat angry. "But Grass Hounds are extremely aggressive. There have been tragedies in the past where they bit people to death.

"The Botanical Garden is where students have practical classes. Yet Qin Zi Cheng actually brought out a Grass Hound there. That bastard is cold and heartless to the core. He simply does not care about his classmates' lives."

"Meow~"

The Black Cat meowed, seemingly in agreement.

Cheng Han began asking for its opinion. "I want to investigate Qin Zi Cheng's background and find out exactly what he obtained. Are you willing to help me keep watch on him?"

He solemnly emphasized, "This could be quite dangerous. If you don't want to go, that's fine too."

Treat others with sincerity—cats deserved the same treatment.

That was Cheng Han's principle.

The Black Cat tilted its head and thought for a moment, then nodded firmly. "Meow!"

It agreed.

Cheng Han smiled. "You're a Black Cat. Moving about at night is practically the same as being invisible. Starting today, watch Qin Zi Cheng's home at night and come back after he goes to sleep. How does that sound?"

The Black Cat answered, "Meow!"

Cheng Han opened his schoolbag and took out a notebook. "I'll draw you a simple map first, so you know where Qin Zi Cheng lives..."

He stopped halfway through.

A thought suddenly sprang into his mind. Could he use some supernatural method to directly convey information to the Sheriff? If it worked, it would be far more convenient than communicating with pen and paper.

The former would take only an instant, while the latter required writing and drawing, followed by a long explanation. The difference in efficiency was enormous.

Seeing its master standing there in a daze, the Black Cat urged him, "Meow~"

Cheng Han came back to himself and quoted a saying. "To do a good job, one must first sharpen one's tools! Don't rush. I need to do something important first."

The current Fragmented Imprint of Spirit Control lacked this ability. He decided to use the Eye of Omniscience to try completing the imprint and deducing the relevant function.

If he did not try, how would he know whether it could be done?

Cheng Han grabbed the Black Cat by its forelegs and placed it on his lap. "Sheriff, cooperate with me."

The Black Cat looked somewhat helpless, but it did not resist.

Cheng Han gently stroked its belly and smiled. "Relax. Don't tense your body so much."

The Black Cat swished its tail, and its body quickly relaxed.

Cheng Han took several deep breaths and silently recited, "Using the Black Cat as the associated object, deduce a method of spiritual communication between humans and animals, and complete the Fragmented Imprint of Spirit Control!"

The familiar coolness flowed over his scalp once more.

His Spirit Value began plummeting.

Cheng Han was overjoyed.

It succeeded on the first try! Not bad!

The next instant.

The man and cat both jolted at the same time.