Chapter 84: Would You Remember How Many Little Dried Fish You’ve Eaten?

The lively atmosphere of the press conference broadcast had little to do with Zhou Shu. Taking advantage of the fact that he hadn't yet become an "idol," he needed to slip away while he still could.

If, in the future, either the authorities or the people decided to create a "Demon-Hunting Ranking," recording the fame or combat prowess of various demon hunters, it would mean both crisis and renown for those in the profession.

And don't say it's impossible—whenever survival is no longer the top priority, humanity always manages to invent some flashy new thing.

Given the current circumstances, such a development seemed entirely plausible.

So for now, Zhou Shu paid those thoughts no mind. While the monsters hadn't yet launched a second attack, he needed to hurry back to his hometown and see if Huahua could use her nose to track down Bai Huayue—or even discover the headquarters of the Ascension Society.

This time, he returned with an upgraded setup: two vehicles, four plainclothes soldiers ready to handle emergencies, and all the necessary weaponry and equipment in the cars, including his own.

There was, of course, another reason for bringing two vehicles this time. The world had suddenly become far more dangerous, and Zhou Shu wanted to bring his grandparents to live in the Demon Suppression Bureau's residential compound, where demon hunters' families could be sheltered, allowing them to fight with peace of mind.

Ordinarily, things had been fine. With Huahua staying in the village and the monsters not yet launching high-intensity invasions against humans, security was basically assured. But now that the monsters had changed their tactics and he needed to take Huahua away, he had to ensure his grandparents were settled somewhere safe.

Leaving the Demon Suppression Bureau, he saw military vehicles parked at key intersections. Even with the morale boost from live news broadcasts, people’s expressions were far more harried than before.

There were fewer lone pedestrians and more people using public transportation.

Outside the city, rural traffic was also sparse. He even saw village militia patrols reorganized and active again.

Clearly, orders had come down from above.

When Zhou Shu arrived at his hometown, things were much the same. There was a checkpoint at the village entrance, and outsiders had to register their names, phone numbers, and purpose for visiting.

Bringing two cars and four people, Zhou Shu was immediately stopped and only allowed to pass after his grandfather, Old Zhou, came out to vouch for him.

His grandparents, however, seemed perfectly calm, showing no difference from before. Thinking about it, Zhou Shu found it understandable. The elderly couple had lived through decades, surviving the hardest times of the Great Qin nation, and had seen much in their lives.

There was little they could do in the face of such events, except to remain steady and follow the lead of the country.

Returning home, Zhou Shu didn’t find Huahua there, so he set off to search the village, checking a couple of Huahua’s usual haunts before finally finding her.

He told the soldiers to wait at a distance while he went over to “converse” with Huahua.

He'd long suspected that Huahua could understand his words, though he couldn’t understand her replies. However, the system had previously boasted that it could interpret cat-speak, given enough observation and analysis.

Now, more than a month since the system had made such a claim, Zhou Shu had been busy with powered exoskeleton projects at the Bureau, but since there were plenty of cats around, the system had collected a fair sample of “cat language” and could now basically grasp the gist.

It was time to put it to the test.

Zhou Shu took a small plastic vial from his pocket containing a bit of Bai Huayue’s hair and a scab of dried blood. “Huahua, I’ve got a new enemy now. You know what an enemy is, right? Someone who wants to hurt me—someone who’d stop me from ever coming home to feed you your little fish snacks.”

He looked at Huahua after he finished. She was perched on a large tree stump, head cocked, giving him a look that suggested she thought he was an idiot.

The system promptly provided subtitles: [Huahua thinks your IQ is questionable.]

Well, he could tell that much himself.

“Ahem.”

Zhou Shu dropped the pretenses and got straight to the point. “I know tabby cats are natural hunters, and you’re the best of the best. Can you use the scent to track down that person?”

This time, Huahua didn’t remain silent. She nodded and let out a meow.

“Meow~”

The system provided the translation: [Huahua says she can.]

Zhou Shu: "..."

Why did it always feel like the translation was pointless?

As it turned out, the translation was useful. Zhou Shu could understand short, obvious sounds or gestures on his own, but for a string of meows or more subtle meanings, the translation was necessary.

And so, Zhou Shu actually found himself having a conversation with Huahua.

Soon, they finalized the plan for “tracking the prey.”

Huahua let out a soft call. To Zhou Shu, it only sounded a little different from normal, but the system informed him it was a high-frequency call, intended to summon companions or kin.

Moments later, a dozen or so cats appeared, each moving faster than Zhou Shu would have thought possible for an ordinary feline.

They gathered obediently in front of the tree stump where Huahua sat. Huahua leaped down, glanced from one side to the other, then smacked a ginger cat on the head with her paw. The other cats all drooped their heads, disappointed.

With a wave of her paw, Huahua dismissed the others, leaving only the ginger cat behind. She then meowed twice at Zhou Shu.

[Forty-seven can take you to Bai Huayue.]

“Huh? What do you mean, Huahua? You’re not going yourself?” Zhou Shu was taken aback.

“Meow~”

System translation:

[No need for me to go. Forty-seven is sufficient, and besides, I’m too conspicuous—especially after the press conference, I’d draw even more attention. I need to stay in the village to keep watch, to prevent any demons or monsters from causing trouble, and most importantly, to protect your grandparents. You wouldn’t want your grandparents to be in danger, would you?]

Good grief, all that from a single “meow”?

This was just like those Korean translations for Prince Park Yisheng—one sentence, pages of translation.

Still, Zhou Shu understood the meaning. “Of course I don’t want my grandparents to be in danger. The reason I came back was to bring them to the Demon Suppression Bureau’s compound, where they’ll be safe.”

At this, Huahua shook her head and meowed.

[I advise you not to waste your efforts. Your grandparents won’t leave here. I’ve lived with them for twenty years; I know them better than you do.]

Zhou Shu: "..."

He didn’t know how to reply to that.

Because Huahua was right.

He was only eighteen, while Huahua was at least twenty.

He had to leave his grandparents’ side for school, but Huahua came home to eat and sleep nearly every day.

So, as a “junior” in the family, Zhou Shu decided to listen to the “elder’s” advice.

And, with Huahua keeping watch in the village, things really were pretty safe.

What struck him most was what he’d just seen, and the ginger cat’s name—it all hinted at something special.

He picked up the ginger cat, whose body was of normal size and not at all overweight, and stroked its sleek fur.

The predator system quickly provided the cat’s stats.

Its strength and stamina were both above 0.85—more than the average adult human.

Here was a cat, yet it had the strength and endurance stats of a person—another “supercat.”

Its agility was over 1.5, which was remarkable.

Its constitution was over 1.9.

Zhou Shu was stunned.

As for why it was called “Forty-seven,” that was because it was Huahua’s forty-seventh “supercat”… descendant.

Yes, it was Huahua’s offspring—a young female cat, three years old.

As for how many “supercat” descendants Huahua had, even Huahua didn’t know. There were fifty-nine in the village, making sixty with herself.

As for how many there were in other villages or even in cities, she had no idea.

“Meow~”

System translation: [Do you remember how many little fish snacks you’ve eaten?]

Zhou Shu: "..."

“Meow~”

System translation: [By the way, when you’re in Dongyuan City, you can have Forty-seven look for Little Eleven. She’s been living in the city for three years and probably has some influence—she might be able to help you.]

[If you see her, pass along greetings from me—tell her Grandpa Cat misses her.]

Zhou Shu: "..."

All right, boss.

P.S. Thanks to “SAS Special Forces,” “She’s Across the Mountain,” and “Nine-Tailed Fox’s Dad” for your generous support~~