Reliable Yangyang

Camellya was a little bewildered.

She had originally come to enjoy the show.

Watching Tide Sis get angry was especially entertaining.

But somehow, the hostility seemed to have shifted toward her?

Although she and Ling An hadn't done anything, still...

She took a look at their current position. All right.

It was only natural to get the wrong idea.

Up on this mountaintop in the middle of nowhere, anyone would have trouble explaining this.

Still, Tide Sis's attitude had given her a reminder. There seemed to be some inexplicable connection between her and Ling An.

This emotion she was showing now was jealousy!

As though she had discovered a little secret, a smile curved her lips.

"Watch out!" Tide Sis cried, drawing her blade and slashing.

Ling An darted aside, and Tide Sis severed several thick vines hurtling toward him.

Camellya seized the opening to escape. A second later, surging vines covered the entire mountaintop.

"Deal with her first," Tide Sis said decisively.

Ling An nodded, flames igniting around his fists.

"What's this? Taking care of me, the outsider, first?" Camellya's tone was loaded.

"Very self-aware," Ling An remarked aptly.

With Tide Sis right in front of him, he put away any thoughts of fooling around.

Countless vines enveloped Camellya as she laughed. "You two, I'll be watching you."

Then her gaze turned to Tide Sis. "Rover, you're very important."

With that, she darted away and fled down the mountain.

Ling An pushed off, about to give chase, but Tide Sis stopped him.

Under Ling An's puzzled gaze, Tide Sis waved a hand. "According to the Magistrate, the Black Shores aren't our enemy at present. Besides..."

She looked a short distance away, where a familiar presence was approaching.

Ling An understood and hurriedly put away his true form.

Yangyang appeared nearby. Seeing Ling An and Tide Sis there, she hurriedly waved. "Ling An, Rover! What are you doing here?"

She came to a stop, panting. "Rover said there was danger ahead and told me to wait farther away, but I really couldn't stop worrying. Are you all right?"

Yangyang swept her gaze over the mountaintop. Clearly, a battle had just taken place here.

"We're fine. Let's head back." Tide Sis stared intensely at Ling An.

Her stare made Ling An uncomfortable, and he couldn't help shivering.

Tide Sis held out her hand and said coldly, "Get up here."

"Fine, I'm coming," Ling An muttered, jumping into Tide Sis's arms.

Utterly confused, Yangyang followed behind them, inwardly relieved that they were all right. Surely nothing had happened just now.

She sneaked a glance at Ling An and Tide Sis.

Good. They looked perfectly normal.

But only Ling An knew that there was nothing normal about this at all.

Tide Sis's hand was kneading his belly, venting her resentment.

No matter how soft a kitty's belly was, this wasn't how you were supposed to pet it!

Ling An tipped his head up, wanting to protest.

A second later, Tide Sis's merciless golden eyes glared him back down.

Forget it. He was angry, but he didn't dare say anything.

He was only a weak, pitiful, helpless little kitty.

When they returned to Jinzhou, Chixia, who had been waiting all this time, hurried over to greet them.

"Ling An, Rover, you're back!"

Her eyes shone. "Did you find anything?"

Tide Sis silently took out the Black Flower Verina had made. "I believe wearing this will draw out the people from the Black Shores in the city."

Chixia couldn't help exclaiming, "That's our Rover!"

Then she turned to Ling An and reached out quite naturally to stroke his forehead. "Ling An, you've done another great thing!"

Ling An froze. He certainly had done something "great."

Otherwise, why would Tide Sis's hand still be secretly pressing hard against his belly?

Seeing his confusion, Chixia smiled and said, "Professor Woodrow from the Tide and Weather Research Center announced your heroic feat at the Flaming Sea. Now people all over the city are talking about you!"

Ling An immediately understood. So it was about the Flaming Sea.

He proudly puffed out his chest. "I'm Ling An, Patroller of Jinzhou."

"Hahahaha!" Chixia clutched her stomach and burst out laughing.

"All those rumors about you and the Magistrate have completely fallen apart now. I heard some people even got together and formed something called the Jinzhou Cat-Cat Cult, like a fan club. You're practically a celebrity here in Jinzhou!"

The Jinzhou Cat-Cat Cult?

Ling An stared blankly at Chixia. Did people these days really have that much time on their hands?

He was only a little stronger than most;

a little cuter in appearance;

a little more charming in character...

They were making him feel rather embarrassed.

Speaking of which, where's their headquarters?

I'll have to find time to inspect it.

Even Tide Sis couldn't keep a smile off her previously tense face. She asked Chixia, "Who's in it?"

Ling An nodded vigorously too. Although he acted as though he didn't care, at a time like this, he was utterly honest.

"Every organization in Jinzhou has to register. I think there were a few familiar faces. Let me think."

Chixia rubbed her chin thoughtfully. "There are delivery workers from Wuwu Logistics, some young people from the Training Camp, and Baizhi..."

"Baizhi?" Yangyang, listening beside them, couldn't help exclaiming in surprise.

Chixia nodded. "Yes. She seems pretty interested in Ling An too!"

Then she continued counting on her fingers. "Oh, right! There's also that gorgeous lady with the long red hair we saw at the Soul-Return Mutual Aid Society last time!"

Ling An froze. Yinlin?

Why's she getting involved in this nonsense too? Didn't she say last time that she wasn't interested in kitties?

Is your entire cult just full of people looking for entertainment?

"Is that everyone?" Tide Sis asked.

"Of course not!" Chixia planted her hands on her hips and declared proudly, "How could it possibly leave out me, the Jinzhou Little Feathered Hero-Patroller Chixia!"

"Pfft!" Ling An nearly lost it.

So the biggest member of the bunch was standing right in front of him.

Tide Sis helplessly pressed a hand to her forehead too, murmuring, "Ling An, you've really made something of yourself."

"That's right, hehe!" Chixia gave a big thumbs-up, her face full of pride.

"Let's get back to business," Yangyang interrupted Chixia. "Next, Rover and I will wear the Black Flower around the city to attract attention and draw them out."

Tide Sis nodded as well, agreeing with Yangyang's suggestion.

Sure enough, Yangyang was the reliable one.

Unlike the flighty Chixia. Perhaps Chixia had even had a hand in founding this Jinzhou Cat-Cat Cult.

As for the Cat-Cat Cult, Tide Sis looked at Ling An. "You're not allowed to run off."

Ling An could only spread his paws, staying out of the whole affair.

"Oh, right!" Chixia suddenly said. "I almost forgot. Someone's looking for you, Ling An!"

"Huh?"

Several puzzled gazes turned to Chixia at once.

Chixia chuckled. "A Taoist at the Six Envy Teahouse."

A Taoist... Jianxin!

Ling An immediately realized who it was. What did she want with him?

His gaze turned to Tide Sis.

He had no choice. Right now, she was even more of a "master" than ever.

Tide Sis shook her head helplessly and whispered to Ling An, "This isn't over yet. Tonight. Understand?"

Ling An shuddered all over and poked her in acknowledgment.

So they split into two groups, and Ling An ambled toward the Six Envy Teahouse.

Meanwhile, Tide Sis had intended to act together with Yangyang.

But when she turned around, she discovered that reliable Yangyang had pulled Chixia aside and was whispering to her.

Their voices couldn't escape Tide Sis's hearing at all.

She heard our reliable Yangyang ask Chixia quietly, "How do I join that Cat-Cat Cult of yours?"