Chapter 17: The Heavy Price of a Single Sentence

Lijiang Ancient City, a secluded alley.

Sunlight sneaked into the alley, casting patches of light and shadow.

Ha Xiaoming propped himself against the wall with one hand, tossing his head with a flourish.

Yes, Ha Xiaoming liked to show off.

This made Mao Xiaobai feel utterly nauseated, as though she’d recently eaten something bad—uncomfortable, on the verge of being sick.

“Stupid cat, it’s true that Fang Yuan is a glutton…”

In that instant.

The scene repeated itself—not with Cat King this time, but with the chairman of the Dog Clan Group, Dog King.

Dog King had been in his office, snoring thunderously, enjoying a deep, luxurious nap.

Suddenly, he jolted awake, eyes wide and scanning his surroundings with heightened vigilance.

He was a little panicked.

Because, just for a moment, he had an awful premonition—someone wanted his life!

“What is going on?”

“Which little brat has the nerve to come after me?”

“Could it be…”

Dog King considered a possibility, then immediately picked up his phone and called Cat King via video.

The call connected quickly.

Before Cat King had a chance to mock him, Dog King widened his eyes and thrust his face close to the camera.

“Damn!” Cat King was startled, and immediately let loose a string of curses. “Stupid dog, have you gone rabid?”

After several millennia of acquaintance, Dog King, seeing his desired effect, withdrew his head with a grin. “Dead cat! You’re the one who’s rabid!”

Cat King shot back, “No such thing, you dumb dog!”

Dog King insisted, “If I say you are, then you are!”

Cat King retorted, “Get lost, I don’t have time to argue with an idiot—I’m busy. Hanging up.”

Dog King called out, “Wait, I have serious business.”

Cat King, “Speak!”

…

Cat King’s tone turned grave. “Stupid dog, this isn’t a joke. I just had a spine-chilling feeling, as if some brat was about to steal money from my wallet!”

Dog King replied, “You too? I felt like someone was about to kill me. What’s going on?”

Cat King’s eyes widened, his pupils glimmering like glass—truly beautiful.

“Could it be the Skeleton King, the Vampire, or that gloomy Mummy trying to take us out and steal our money while Jiang Bei and Fang Yuan are gone?”

Everyone already knew of Cat King’s love for money.

Dog King despised this trait, often saying, “We’ve lived for thousands of years, and we owe Jiang Bei and Fang Yuan a mountain of debt. All that money you’re hoarding is really theirs anyway! What’s the point?”

Normally, hearing Cat King mention money would prompt a retort from Dog King.

But these were exceptional circumstances—now was not the time.

Dog King shook his head. “I don’t think so. Even if those guys could take us on, so what? In eleven years, Jiang Bei and Fang Yuan regain their memories, we resurrect, and those fools get obliterated. They wouldn’t be so stupid.”

Cat King thought it over and conceded the point.

“Unless—they’re after Jiang Bei and Fang Yuan themselves!” Cat King’s mind worked in unusual ways.

Dog King inhaled sharply, “That ruthless? But wait—the two of them are immortal. Who could possibly kill them?”

Cat King fell silent.

“True. Then what is it? Why did we both have this terrifying feeling at the same time?”

“Maybe we should call the other clans and see if they felt it too?”

“Good idea. Let’s split up and reconvene.”

…

About twenty minutes later, Dog King and Cat King were back on a video call.

“No one else—not a single one. Just us.”

“That’s getting scarier. And listen, stupid dog—think about it: who was the last person who made us feel this way?”

Dog King didn’t hesitate. “Jiang Bei and Fang Yuan!”

“Exactly!” Cat King declared. “It could only be them. But I haven’t done anything to upset them. You?”

Dog King replied instinctively, “Me neither…”

Then, midway through his sentence, he suddenly realized something. “Crap! Our group sent someone to make contact with Jiang Bei! Damn, did we offend him?”

Finally, the pieces fell into place.

Cat King blanched as well—she knew all too well how foolish Mao Xiaobai could be. Had Mao Xiaobai done something stupid to anger Jiang Bei?

In that moment, Cat King and Dog King both panicked.

“Call and find out—quick! If this gets marked against us by Jiang Bei’s hidden guards, we’re doomed!”

-----------------------

In Lijiang Ancient City, after all this time, Ha Xiaoming and Mao Xiaobai had naturally parted ways.

Yet the cat and the dog both remained in the city, and would continue to stay for some time.

At that same moment.

Both Mao Xiaobai and Ha Xiaoming’s phones rang in unison. When they checked their screens, they saw the word “Chairman” displayed in perfect harmony.

Mao Xiaobai answered, “Hello.”

Ha Xiaoming, “Hello!”

About a minute later.

Cat King drew in a cold breath, “Mao Xiaobai, what did you say? You unlucky fool, how could you say something like that?”

Dog King also gasped, “Damn it, Ha Xiaoming! Why did those idiots send you? You’ve landed us in a real mess this time! If you must bad-mouth Jiang Bei, fine, but why drag Fang Yuan into it too? This is a disaster!”

Mao Xiaobai mumbled, “I’m sorry—I thought since Jiang Bei wasn’t around, it would be fine…”

Ha Xiaoming protested, “Chairman, is it appropriate to say that? Our group has rules about civility!”

Dog King bellowed, “Civility my ass!”

Click.

The call ended, but Dog King immediately video-called Cat King again.

This was serious—critically serious.

Above all, one might risk angering Jiang Bei, but never Fang Yuan…

Alas.

Dog King spoke, “Dead cat, what do you think? Do you think we’ve made it onto Jiang Bei’s hidden guards’ list?”

Cat King replied, “Definitely. Otherwise, we wouldn’t have felt that way.”

Dog King asked, “What now? We’ve got eleven years before the reckoning, but as chairman, I know Fang Yuan wouldn’t hesitate to beat me up in person…”

Cat King sighed, “You think I don’t know? But what’s said is said, what’s done is done. Those hidden guards serve only the two of them. We can’t even see them, let alone bribe them!”

Dog King pondered, “What about bribing Wang Fu? Aren’t the hidden guards under his command now?”

Cat King fell silent for a moment. “Not command—more like cooperation. But maybe bribing Wang Fu would work. It’s just, that guy is sure to ask for a king’s ransom.”

After a pause, Cat King added, “Stupid dog, you’re the chairman of the Dog Clan Group, and Wang Fu is a dog too. You’re family—can’t you appeal to his feelings?”

Dog King hesitated.

Of course, appeals could be made.

But money always had to change hands.

Those were two separate matters.