Chapter 1644
Chapter 1644 - 1640: Cat and Mouse
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9 min read
In his previous life, Lu Ping’an did not have the experience of traveling to Sakura Island, but as a teenager who had tried many animes and games from that era, he had some understanding of its culture.
Back then, he actually did consider taking chicks there for sightseeing and to see some COSPLAY... but definitely not the kind like what he was seeing now.
"Reclaim the territory, 1, 2."
"Defend the homeland, 1, 2."
"Never forget the national humiliation, 1, 2."
"Yamato shall never perish, 1, 2. Louder, one more time."
Watching how these students, who all seemed underage, ran past shouting Sakura Island’s slogans while wearing old-fashioned Sakura-style warrior armor, it appeared quite fantastical.
Looking around, similar scenes were everywhere. Too many too-young figures, clearly lacking exercise, were dressed in armor that looked both antiquated and cumbersome.
National military enlistment? Well, at least it’s national reserve duty. They are probably ready to burn through all the new blood. No wonder, regardless of how many expatriates come here, even more choose to leave the city.
At this moment, Lu Ping’an couldn’t help but recall an old joke he saw on a forum in his previous life... If a certain island sank, its survivors could make a decent living by doing entertainment and anime.
But reality is far crueler than any hellish joke. By this point, any enthusiasm is blown away; survival pressure is at its max—there’s little chance anyone would still obsess over entertainment...
"One family member joins the army, the whole family is honored!"
"Join us, and you can become an Extraordinary without risking your life, with a generous salary in return."
"This is a historical turning point, and we will definitely return to our homeland....."
The military’s promotional video was being played in rotation on the big screens along the street; following this, there will be a local politician’s speech. The person who had a meeting with Lu Ping’an just stepped down, and another announcer came up.
Watching the somewhat cute animated Soldier characters in the propaganda video, as well as cartoon Fishmen with ’bad guy’ written on their faces, Lu Ping’an got a sense of what those in the anime industry were up to now.
In fact, they have indeed produced some anime and films over the years... but the flavors have all become stranger.
"Meow, boring, not interesting meow."
Meow nestled against Lu Ping’an, with its arched back pressing directly on top of his head, holding a few game discs and anime DVDs in her paws, her face full of disdain.
"All those from before the War are old series, meow. The ones after the War are not interesting meow—either war themes or patriotic stuff, their brains must have gone bad meow."
Meow was quite complaining. She had been looking forward to this trip, having heard that this was the largest gathering place and cultural center of the Sakura Country’s people; she had made preparations for a big shopping spree.
As a result, they had visited Electric Street New Akihabara too, but there was only a short street, deliberately styled like the past as a tourism landscape to "commemorate the past."
The shops related to anime and games were only three or four, and most of the items were secondhand goods brought from home, raping off exceptionally expensive prices... The new cultural products were just a few kinds, mostly with funding from the municipal government involved, each with more propaganda than the last, and stiff plot with uglier characters.
"...You can’t expect them on the brink of national extinction to still produce cultural items to amuse you."
Lu Ping’an was quite open-minded, not as fond of such entertainment as Meow was.
Actually, it wasn’t until recently that he discovered Meow’s peculiar private hobby; she had kept it well hidden... This girl especially liked to collect old anime, especially the peripheral dolls of various cute animals.
This girl seemed mischievous and playful, but in reality, she knew how to separate business from pleasure, only indulging in her hobbies during the down-time of long journeys. It was also because of her traveling habit that she developed the periodic habit of collecting various video products.
But upon reflection, Lu Ping’an felt it was somewhat inevitable.
Her experience back then was quite awful, probably only known to a few people like Lu Ping’an. When she was locked up, her favorite thing was the cartoon "Tom and Jerry," and her Abnormal Ability of becoming a "Spirit Cat" may have originated from that always-dying yet soul-escaping cat.
"....No meow, it’s a waste of time and I’m not happy meow! Had I known, I would have rested at home—it was supposed to be my time off!!"
Meow frowned unhappily, rubbing herself against Lu Ping’an. Originally insignificant, her bodily curves, now brimming with sensuality over Lu Ping’an, transformed into a smile on his face.
This was not because Lu felt any reaction, even though huge mounds were now pressing against his face...
"Can’t X anything to X a cat, eh....."
"Cough cough." A mysterious voice drifted from some corner.
"Uh, no hurting the Kitten... uh, the silly cat."
It wasn’t until he added that last line that the silence became complete... Fortunately, the silly kitten couldn’t hear his thoughts, or it would have bitten him for sure.
Meow kept rolling around on Lu Ping’an, as if boneless, while Lu himself remained perfectly calm.
In the past two years, he indeed started to partake in meat, but some cats, no matter how clingy they get, are still just cats...
"...Quit it, are you done with your business? Aren’t you here to catch your brother?"
"Hmph, that guy is like a rat. He scurries away as soon as he smells me, meow."
Brother Lei, the pursuer of the God of Justice, the Ice and Snow Warrior who used to decimate foes with Rule-level weapons, is rumored to be lurking in this area as well.
After all, on one hand, there are plenty of lawbreakers here; on the other, it’s the perfect training ground for his Ice Attribute... As a wanted criminal, it’s also convenient for him to operate along the borders.
But in Lu Ping’an’s view, the main reason is probably...
𝒻𝘳ℯℯ𝑤ℯ𝒷𝘯ℴ𝓋ℯ𝘭.𝑐ℴ𝑚
"Did you push him too hard? I heard that last time, you chased him for a full six hundred kilometers or more..."
"Not enough, meow! This time I find him, I’m gonna make him run around the Eastern Country, meow!"
Meow puffed up her cheeks, and although the threat was cute, it was also lethal.
With the changes over the years, Brother Lei, once a threat to the City that warranted a nationwide manhunt, would hardly be a match for his sister now... If the "Cat of Slaughter under the King of Mercy" had a fearsome reputation even within Rule-level Domains, one could only wonder how far Brother Lei was from achieving true Quasi-rule level.
Meow didn’t want to kill her brother, nor did she want to catch him... But she did want to watch him flee around the Eastern Country for his life, to see him endure the Iron Man Decathlon, meow!
"Is this another round of ’Cat and Mouse,’ then? Take it easy, don’t actually kill him. He was lucky to survive last time... You’ve grown much stronger than him, so be merciful."
Lu Ping’an sighed. When it came to family affairs, he was still out of his league.
In truth, as he saw it, Meow’s sense of morality and legal awareness were very weak. She never thought there was anything wrong with seeking vengeance through crime right from the start.
What angered her was the year her brother had left her behind, all the while waving the banner of doing it for her own good... To talk about the separation between private morality and public law was useless; she couldn’t understand it, nor did she wish to. All she knew was that that bastard brother had abandoned her using a flimsy excuse, tarnishing her with the unwelcome honor of being a criminal’s sister. If it hadn’t been for Lu Ping’an, Sister Xia lending a hand back then...
"Not just that, meow! After all these years, he hasn’t even come to see me of his own initiative, meow!"
The now grown "little girl" was ruining the hair on Lu Ping’an’s head, all he could do was sigh.
"...If he comes to find you, does he wish for a longer life?"
The truth is, on the previous few times that Meow returned, Lei Huoren was lurking in the shadows watching her... but after being discovered once and getting thrashed, chased for hundreds of kilometers, the next time he merely dared to watch her from afar with a telescope.
However, with Meow’s significant advancement in strength, it’s not just telescopes anymore; even a look in her direction would immediately alert her to the presence of an Observer.
Now, just being in a city would not be enough to escape Meow’s perception.
And Lei Huoren wasn’t in this city now, right? So why hadn’t Meow started the hunt?
"No rush, meow. Let him take more food so I can chase him even further, meow!"
The cat with sinister humor prepared to toy with its prey.
Indeed, the cat had already found him... and the other party must be in the midst of preparing supplies for the escape.
And Lu Ping’an did nothing to stop it... In fact, he realized, perhaps Lei Huoren was also "enjoying" this level of sibling interaction.
The two could never reconcile; the warrant for the blood crime is still active. Even if most of those sacrificed to the God of Justice were villains, in the eyes of the law, the executor of private justice must still be chased as a criminal.
If Meow reconciled with him or even provided shelter, that would make her complicit... if caught, Brother Lei would no doubt face the death-penalty. Thus, the eternal game of cat and mouse, always chasing and never catching, continues to unfold.
But that’s all Brother Lei’s perspective... How could Meow care about human laws and rules when in her eyes, her brother was still acting crazy, still ruthlessly abandoning the little kitten.
"Don’t play him to death..." What else could Lu Ping’an say? All he could do was to wish them well.
— End of Chapter 1644 —