Good Eats

They were silent for a moment before finally saying, "You lucky rascal. You didn't find it again, did you? Could someone be plotting something? Come back first. I understand! By the way, I heard you were attacked by an Evil Martial Artist. We're already investigating. Do you have any leads?"

Zhang Tao grinned and didn't say much over the phone, only giving a vague acknowledgment. They could talk in person.

The person on the other end nodded and hung up.

Zhang Tao found his car and said, "Brother Cat, let's head back to Kyoto. I'll treat you to something delicious when we get there!"

After arriving on Blue Star, Grey Cat had released his mental power to look at the unfamiliar sights outside and the tempting food in all the shops. He was already drooling. If he weren't unfamiliar with the area, he would have gone looking for food by himself.

"Okay, hurry up!" Grey Cat was clearly itching to get going.

Zhang Tao smiled and drove to Kyoto. They weren't attacked along the way. He didn't know if the authorities had tightened security or what, but he wasn't worried in the least. Grey Cat was right there with him. It didn't matter how many Evil Martial Artists came; they'd be no threat.

They soon entered Kyoto. Zhang Tao first took Grey Cat home and said, "Brother Cat, this will be our home from now on. You can pick any room you like!"

As he spoke, Zhang Tao showed Grey Cat around. Grey Cat rolled around on a bed, and his eyes immediately narrowed. "Mmm, mmm, comfy. It's not as comfortable as my cat bed, but it's way better than Gong Juanzi's place."

Zhang Tao grinned. Of course it wasn't as comfortable as your cat bed. Yours was made from Heavenly Treasures. This was just an ordinary bed.

"Come on, I'll take you to try a local specialty: wood-fired roast duck!" Zhang Tao said. At last hearing that he could eat, Grey Cat's eyes lit up. He jumped onto Zhang Tao's shoulder and shouted, "Hurry up, hurry up! I can't wait!"

"Oh, right, Brother Cat. Please don't talk when we get there. Most people around here are ordinary folks. We can communicate telepathically!" Zhang Tao reminded him as they headed out.

Grey Cat didn't mind. He only had to stay quiet. As long as there was good food, he could agree to a hundred such simple requests.

The two of them went to a century-old restaurant. When the waiter saw Zhang Tao and the cat on his shoulder, he opened his mouth, wanting to say that pets weren't allowed. But this was Kyoto. Zhang Tao might have been young, but he'd already risen to the rank of Chief Overseer, and he was quite well-known in the city.

In the end, the waiter pretended not to notice and went to inform the manager.

When the manager heard Zhang Tao had arrived, he hurried over and personally led him to a private room, then served the restaurant's specialties and roast duck.

Grey Cat sat on a chair and watched as the chef carved up the roast duck and served it on the table. For a moment, he didn't know how to eat it.

He'd lived for so long, but he'd never had such an elegant meal.

Back when he was with the Spirit Emperor, palace maids had always fed him. He'd never needed to do it himself.

"Brother Cat, let me show you!" Zhang Tao chuckled. He unfolded a pancake, added the roast duck and condiments, spread on some sweet bean sauce, and handed it to Grey Cat.

Grey Cat opened his mouth, and the wrap flew straight in. He took one bite, and his eyes narrowed into slits. "This is so good!"

After that, Zhang Tao didn't need to teach him anything. Grey Cat started helping himself with his mental power.

The whole duck was in Grey Cat's belly in less than two minutes.

"Brother Cat, want more? I'll have them make another one!" Zhang Tao smiled, not minding at all.

"Of course! I'm not full yet!" Grey Cat replied.

Zhang Tao went out and asked them to bring five more roast ducks. In the meantime, Grey Cat polished off all the other dishes, too. He looked utterly content. This was what a cat's life was all about! He really was a genius. Following Gong Juanzi had meant eating nothing but grass. Just look at how many delicious things he could eat with someone else! Grey Cat decided he'd never go to the Catacombs again. Blue Star was amazing.

After they finished eating, Zhang Tao saw Grey Cat's satisfied expression and knew he had him. He called over the manager and slapped down a bank card. "Manager Li, there's two million in this card. Put it on my account at your restaurant. From now on, whenever my friend here comes to eat, serve him the same things you did today. Take the money out of my account. Understand?"

Manager Li blinked at Zhang Tao. You're putting two million on a cat's account? That rich? Two million was worth a lot these days.

But a fool who turned down money was no businessman. Manager Li immediately bowed and said, "You can count on me, Chief Overseer Zhang. This Lord Cat will be our honored guest from now on. I'll make sure he's well taken care of!"

Zhang Tao nodded in satisfaction and left with Grey Cat.

As they passed a dessert shop, Zhang Tao thought for a moment, then took Grey Cat inside and ordered two desserts. Grey Cat was beginning to think this place was heaven.

After they ate, Zhang Tao went to the bank and withdrew a large amount of cash to keep at home. "Brother Cat, if I'm not around, you can spend this money however you like. We humans have to pay for our meals. Got it?"

Grey Cat nodded at once. He still didn't really understand currency, but for the sake of good food, he was willing to learn.

After that, Zhang Tao went to the Culture Building, where he met its Chief Overseer, Li Xianling—the man who had recruited Zhang Tao into the Culture Building and was both a mentor and a friend to him.

"Chief Overseer, that was fast!" Zhang Tao exclaimed when he entered the office and saw the Rank 9 fish demon that had been left in the Magic City Catacombs.

Li Xianling rolled his eyes. How could he not be fast? If he'd taken any longer, the people from Magic City would have divided the thing up.

"I examined it. There's nothing wrong with this fish demon, but it was killed in a single strike. Zhang Tao, what happened?" Li Xianling asked gravely.

After all, killing a Rank 9 monster with a single strike required someone who had made great progress along the Origin Dao—or even an Apex powerhouse.

Li Xianling didn't think he could do it himself.

Zhang Tao didn't hide anything. He said he'd learned of a cat in the Catacombs by chance, then went to find him and brought him back.

"What? You brought him back?" Li Xianling cried out. A cat capable of killing a Rank 9 fish demon in one strike, and you just brought him back?

Zhang Tao grinned and thought for a moment. "Chief Overseer, trust me. This cat is our ally. Besides, he doesn't fight or kill people. And I'm sure the Old Ancestors in Zhenxing City already know about this. They probably don't have any objections, either."

Li Xianling looked at Zhang Tao suspiciously, then fell into thought.