Heavenly Dou Cat Net

Chapter 25: Heavenly Dou Cat Net

The Black Cloth Carriage left Heaven Dou City at a steady, unhurried pace.

The driver kept a firm grip on the reins, and the horses' hooves struck the ground evenly.

Thick black cloth covered all four sides of the carriage, and bundles of herbs meant to mask its scent hung outside.

But that kind of concealment might work on people.

It was less effective against cats.

Meow Meow crouched at the end of a rooftop, watching the carriage turn onto a road outside the city. His tail swished lightly.

"That reek of blood is so strong, and they still think they can cover it up?"

"Do they really think a cat's nose is just for show?"

He didn't follow right away.

Instead, he looked behind him at the few Wild Cats he'd lured over for the moment.

Gray Ear, Numb Tail, Scrawny Yellow, and a Black-and-White.

He'd just come up with their names.

There was no deeper meaning to them.

They were easy to remember. That was all that mattered.

The cats crouched at the foot of the wall, watching Meow Meow with wary, curious eyes.

They weren't Sacred Flame Spirit Cats.

They were just ordinary Wild Cats from Heaven Dou City.

Most days, they did little more than raid kitchens, hide from children, fight over territory, and sun themselves.

Now, one White Cat had suddenly led them to spy on someone. They were understandably confused.

Meow Meow felt a little helpless, too.

"Looks like I can't build the Heavenly Dou Cat Net on handouts alone."

"These guys don't even know the basic rules."

He thought it over, then used the Calming Bell to release a faint trace of Holy Fire Aura.

It wasn't Spirit Ignition.

It was only enough for the cats to understand the simplest instructions.

"First, don't go near the carriage."

"Second, remember the Black Eagle Crest and the smell of blood."

"Third, if a Soul Master looks at you, act like an ordinary cat."

"Fourth, if you're in danger, run. Don't try to be a hero."

The cats seemed to understand, more or less.

Gray Ear reacted the fastest. He immediately lowered his head and licked his paw, pretending it had nothing to do with him.

Meow Meow was pleased.

"Not bad. You've got some talent."

Numb Tail, meanwhile, was staring at the bag of dried meat hanging behind the carriage.

Meow Meow's eye twitched.

"Don't even think about eating it."

Numb Tail jumped and immediately ducked his head.

If White Dew were here, she'd probably be very obedient.

The few core cats in the East Side Courtyard would also understand right away.

But things were just getting started here in Heaven Dou. It was already impressive for ordinary Wild Cats to manage this much.

Meow Meow couldn't expect too much.

"Let's go."

He leaped lightly and followed the carriage southwest, keeping to the shadows of the trees.

The Wild Cats followed behind him.

They didn't dare get too close.

But they didn't fall behind, either.

The carriage continued toward the West Suburb.

It switched to side roads twice along the way.

There were a few hidden sentries by the roadside, too.

Meow Meow didn't alert them.

He sent Gray Ear and the Black-and-White around the long way, with orders to focus on memorizing scents.

Numb Tail and Scrawny Yellow stayed close to him.

"Remember, keeping an eye on someone doesn't mean attacking them."

"Don't get involved unless you have to."

"You're still ordinary cats. Don't copy me and act tough."

Gray Ear gave a quiet "meow."

It sounded like an answer.

Meow Meow glanced at him and suddenly had a strange thought.

Humans had Junior Soul Master Academies.

Should cats have a Junior Cat Net Course, too?

At the very least, they could be taught how to find their way around, hide their scents, recognize Soul Masters, and avoid eating strange things.

Otherwise, if the cat population in Heaven Dou grew and every cat relied on instinct alone, trouble was bound to come sooner or later.

"Once this is taken care of, I'll have to set up some basic rules for the Heavenly Dou Cat Net."

"I should organize the East Side Courtyard's system, too."

"We can't rely on A Ju's feeding list for everything."

The carriage went farther and farther off the beaten path.

At last, it entered a hunting ground near the outskirts of Sunset Forest.

A few old wooden posts stood around the perimeter.

Black Eagle Crests hung from them.

Meow Meow hid behind a bush and took a look.

"This is it."

"The Black Eagle Family's Western Suburb Hunting Ground."

The carriage didn't enter through the main gate. Instead, it circled behind the hunting ground and went into an abandoned Beast Pen.

Five Soul Masters were guarding the Beast Pen.

Two were Soul Ancestors, and one was a Soul King.

Judging by their auras, the other two were Soul Elders.

That was a formidable force.

At least, it wasn't one Meow Meow could rush headlong into.

"If a fight breaks out, it'll be a real headache."

"Better to watch for now."

After the carriage stopped, a low growl came from inside.

It wasn't loud.

But it sounded strained and oppressed.

It was as if something were lodged in the animal's throat.

Several Soul Masters immediately went over and unloaded something from the carriage.

It was an iron cage.

Black cloth covered it.

The moment the cloth was pulled away, Meow Meow's gaze darkened.

A young beast was locked inside.

It wasn't very big.

It looked like a tiger, but not like any ordinary White Tiger.

Black stripes crossed its white fur, and a few faint traces of Nether aura clung to its back.

Its eyes were red, and its claws kept scraping at the bottom of the cage.

But it didn't look fierce.

It looked more like it was in pain.

Jianbing suddenly woke inside the Calming Bell.

"It's got White Tiger Blood."

"And it has the scent of the Nether."

His voice was soft, but unmistakably uneasy.

Meow Meow didn't reply. He simply kept watching.

The Soul King spoke in a low voice.

"This one's more stable than the first two."

"Don't feed it Black Water when we take it back."

"Sir said we need to observe the natural fusion effects with the third batch."

Another Soul Ancestor asked,

"What if it still can't hold on?"

The Soul King gave a cold snort.

"Then we move on to the next batch."

"Materials from Star Luo are hard to get, but not impossible."

Meow Meow's tail went still.

Star Luo.

So it really did involve them.

Jianbing spoke softly inside the bell.

"It'll die."

Meow Meow's gaze darkened.

He could see it, too.

The beast's bloodlines had been forcibly combined.

The aura of the White Tiger, the Nether aura, and the pollution from Black Water Marsh were all crowded together inside it.

Forget a young beast.

Even an adult Soul Beast might not be able to endure it.

But he couldn't save it now.

At least, he couldn't save it outright.

There was a Soul King here, along with Soul Ancestors.

Even if he did attack, there was no telling whether he could get the beast out. And the newly laid lines of the Heavenly Dou Cat Net would be exposed.

Meow Meow clenched his teeth.

"Observe for now."

"First, find out where they're taking it."

Jianbing fell silent.

But the small White Tiger apparition inside the Calming Bell visibly curled in on himself.

Several Soul Masters carried the iron cage into the underground section of the Beast Pen.

Meow Meow had Gray Ear lead Scrawny Yellow around to sniff out another exit, while he quietly crept closer to the outer wall of the Beast Pen.

There were all kinds of scents here.

The smell of blood.

The smell of herbs.

The smell of Soul Beasts' fear.

And several waves of Soul Power belonging to human Soul Masters.

Meow Meow used the Calming Bell to draw in some of his aura.

A system prompt appeared at once.

[Ding, new clue added to the White Tiger specimen.]

[Current connections: Black Hawk Family, Western Suburbs Hunting Grounds, Star Luo White Tiger branch family, Netherworld aura.]

Meow Meow glanced at it, his heart growing heavier.

This wasn't a misunderstanding.

That trail really was getting deeper.

Just as he was about to back away, Numb Tail suddenly darted forward.

He wasn't trying to start a fight.

He'd caught the scent of dried meat again.

Meow Meow reacted in a flash and swept him back with his tail.

Numb Tail nearly toppled into the grass.

"Are you stupid?"

"They're all Soul Masters over there, and you still want to eat?"

Numb Tail curled up into a miserable little ball.

Meow Meow looked at him and suddenly felt that it was time to lay down some rules.

"Remember, you can't look for food during a mission."

"You can eat when we get back."

"If you lose your life, you lose everything."

Numb Tail lowered his head.

Gray Ear watched from beside him, seemingly taking it all in.

Meow Meow sighed inwardly.

That was how ordinary cats were.

Unless someone taught them, they would always follow their instincts.

But once they learned, they could become excellent eyes and ears.

This was the first step toward building the Cat Net.

He wasn't asking them to fight.

They only needed to see, remember, and report back.

Just before dawn, there was finally some new activity near the Beast Pen.

The iron cage containing the cub was carried out again.

But this time, they weren't heading toward Black Water Marsh.

They were going deeper into the hunting ground.

Meow Meow followed for a while and spotted the entrance to an underground cellar.

A stone plaque stood beside it.

Two words were carved into the stone.

[Beast Vault]

Meow Meow narrowed his eyes.

"The Beast Vault?"

"There's more than one Sample here."

He didn't dare get too close.

He only had Gray Ear memorize the scent of the place.

At the same time, he left a faint mark of Holy Fire beneath the roots of an old tree nearby.

Once he was done, Meow Meow led the wild cats back out.

That was enough for one trip.

Going any deeper would invite trouble.

On the way back to Heaven Dou City, the wild cats were noticeably quieter than they had been on the way there.

Especially Numb Tail.

This time, he didn't keep staring at food.

Meow Meow looked at them and thought for a moment. Then he took a little processed minced meat from the Calming Bell and shared it among the cats.

"Good work."

"But if you run off again, you won't get any food."

The cats immediately lowered their heads and began to eat.

After Gray Ear finished, he looked up at Meow Meow.

His gaze seemed clearer than before.

Meow Meow felt a stir in his heart.

After being steeped in the Holy Fire Aura all night, Gray Ear seemed a little more perceptive than an ordinary cat.

He hadn't reached the level of Spirit Ignition yet.

But he could already understand more.

"You'll be in charge of West City for now."

Meow Meow said.

Gray Ear gave an earnest "Meow."

Meow Meow turned to Numb Tail.

"You're in charge of keeping track of the kitchen... no, the back door."

Numb Tail's eyes lit up.

"Don't get excited too soon."

"The back door isn't for sneaking food. You're supposed to watch who comes and goes."

Numb Tail lowered his head.

Meow Meow looked at him helplessly.

"Never mind. We'll take it one step at a time."

By the time they returned to the Crown Prince's Mansion, Qian Renxue was already waiting in Clear Radiance Pavilion.

White Dew stood by the window. When she saw Meow Meow come back, she immediately ran over.

Qian Renxue also set down the documents in her hands.

"How did it go?"

Meow Meow jumped onto the table and told her what he had seen the previous night.

The Western Suburb Hunting Ground.

The Beast Vault.

The White Tiger Cub.

Star Luo Materials.

Nether aura.

The more Qian Renxue heard, the colder her expression became.

"They're incredibly bold."

"Being bold is one thing."

Meow Meow said.

"The key is that they have someone backing them."

"The Black Eagle Family couldn't have gotten materials from a Star Luo White Tiger Cadet Branch on their own."

"And there's no way they could have secretly built a Beast Vault."

Qian Renxue nodded.

"I'll check the Hunting Ground Register."

"And the caravans that have come from Star Luo over the past three years."

Meow Meow thought for a moment, then added, "Don't just look into the White Tigers."

"Look into the Hell Spirit Cats too."

Qian Renxue looked at him.

"Do you suspect the Zhu Family?"

"I don't suspect the Zhu Family."

Meow Meow shook his head.

"It's just that there's a Nether aura in these experiments."

"Someone got their hands on something from the Hell Spirit Cat Lineage."

"It could be blood, a Soul Bone, or even a Martial Soul Cadet Branch."

Qian Renxue fell silent.

This involved the Heavenly Dou nobles as well as the Star Luo White Tigers and the Hell Spirit Cats.

If they kept digging, they might uncover a much larger conspiracy.

But it would also be dangerous.

Meow Meow could tell what she was thinking.

"Let's not rush."

"For now, we only need to find out what they're doing."

"Once we have more evidence, we can decide how to use it."

Qian Renxue nodded.

"Mm."

Meow Meow also told her how the wild cats had performed.

Especially how Numb Tail had nearly blown their cover over some dried meat.

At that, a rare hint of amusement appeared in Qian Renxue's eyes.

"Looks like your Cat Net still needs training."

"It really does."

Meow Meow sighed.

"There's a huge gap between ordinary cats and Sacred Flame Spirit Cats."

"If we want to spread the Heavenly Dou Cat Net, we have to teach them the basic rules first."

"At the very least, they can't sneak food during missions."

White Dew nodded solemnly at that.

Meow Meow glanced at her.

"Don't laugh."

"You'll be in charge of teaching them."

White Dew froze.

Qian Renxue looked at White Dew's blank expression and smiled faintly.

"She's still young."

"That's exactly why she'll make a good role model."

Meow Meow sounded perfectly reasonable.

"Look how well-behaved she is."

"Ordinary cats would be better off learning from her than from A Ju."

From inside the Calming Bell, Jianbing asked in a small voice, "Who's A Ju?"

Meow Meow paused.

"A bad example."

White Dew seemed to understand and gave a soft meow.

The mood in Clear Radiance Pavilion lightened a little.

But Meow Meow soon turned his attention back to business.

"Qinghe."

"Yeah?"

"I want to hold an introductory class for the Cat Net in Heaven Dou City."

Qian Renxue froze.

"What?"

"We'll gather the ordinary cats in West City that we can use."

"Teach them three things."

"Recognize the Black Eagle Crest."

"Smell Pollution."

"Learn to run."

Qian Renxue: "..."

It sounded absurd.

But the more she thought about it, the more useful it seemed.

Meow Meow continued, "And one more thing."

"They can't eat whatever they find."

Qian Renxue finally couldn't help laughing softly.

"Is that really so important?"

"Very important."

Meow Meow looked in the direction Numb Tail had gone, his tone serious.

"It's a matter of life and death."

Qian Renxue didn't object again.

"What do you need?"

"A quiet place, a little food, and some Small Bell Tokens that won't attract attention."

Meow Meow said.

"Also, help me look into the Black Eagle Family and the Star Luo Caravan."

"Cats will do what cats do."

"Leave the Crown Prince to his own affairs."

Qian Renxue looked at him.

"You certainly know how to keep things separate."

"Of course."

Meow Meow flicked his tail.

"The Cat Net can't meddle in court affairs."

"But the court shouldn't think it can keep secrets from the cats."

He said it lightly.

Yet after hearing him, Qian Renxue found the idea rather interesting.

A Cat Net hidden inside the Crown Prince's Mansion.

A Young Master of Martial Soul Hall wearing Xue Qinghe's identity.

One in the open, one in the shadows.

It suited them well.

The system notification sounded just then.

[Ding! The rudimentary Heavenly Dou Cat Net has been established.]

[Current range: Crown Prince's Mansion, West City Streets, and the outskirts of the Western Suburb Hunting Ground.]

[Reward: Meow Wish Value ×60.]

[Basic Cat Net courses unlocked: Scent Recognition, Stealth, Retreat.] ```

Meow Meow looked at the notification, his tail swaying gently.

"Excellent."

"We even have a textbook now."

He looked up out the window.

Morning had already begun to bustle in Heaven Dou City.

People came and went through the streets.

No one knew that a few cats had peeled back the first layer of the Western Suburb Hunting Ground the night before.

And no one knew that a group of cats was about to appear in Heaven Dou City, cats who could find their way, keep watch on people, remember scents—and refrain from eating their mission targets.

Meow Meow licked his paw.

"Starting today,"

"the cats of Heaven Dou will be taking classes too."