Chapter 222 - 145: Boss Cat’s Bread_2
“Meow?” (Do you need me to accompany you?)
Ziyun’s eyes blinked, revealing a questioning expression.
“No need.” Xu Ran shook his head slightly, touching the pocket on his chest, “I’m just returning this to Boss Cat, I can go alone for such occasion.”
Ziyun showed a thoughtful look, nodding her head.
After settling the three little ones, Xu Ran didn’t linger, turning to leave.
Watching his retreating figure, Cancan couldn’t resist voicing the question that had been bothering her all the way.
“Sure?” (Who is Boss Cat?)
“Xi Lu~” (It’s a long story…)
Star let out a low growl, beginning to slowly relay the story in which he had participated in its entirety.
Hearing that the beast master of Boss Cat had died, and what they’d just found and Xu Ran treasured, placed in the pocket on his chest, was perhaps the other’s relic, Cancan’s eyes quickly showed a look of sympathy.
Oh no, Boss Cat is so pitiful!
Once Star finished narrating the story, Cancan raised a paw to wipe her tears and asked the profound question.
“Sure?” (Sister Ziyun is a cat, is Boss Cat her boss?)
Ziyun: (=<■>=)
“Boss Cat!”
Expertly navigating through streets and alleys and reaching a secluded district that had long been abandoned, Xu Ran walked deep into the alley and shouted.
A hearing his sound, the alleyway responded with a “rustle” and soon, a multitude of transcendent beings of all shapes stuck their heads out.
The atmosphere in the field froze for a moment, before rapidly warming up.
Every stray pet beast here had been washed by Xu Ran.
Compared to the past, the number of stray pet beasts has noticeably decreased, but not every stray pet beast wants to re-contract with humans.
It’s difficult to completely get rid of them.
Under proper guidance, they have become friendly towards humans, and the Beast Master Association simply went along with it.
“Longtime no see.” Xu Ran casually waved his hand towards the stray pet beasts, “Where’s Boss Cat?”
The stray pet beasts didn’t make a sound, merely looking to the side of Xu Ran.
“Meow-”
From behind Xu Ran came the voice of Boss Cat.
“Huh?” Xu Ran turned around to see Boss Cat carrying a sack of food, a smile appearing on his face, “You went to find food for them?”
“Meow-”
Boss Cat nodded, opening the sack in front of Xu Ran, taking out different types of pet beast food, and distributing them one by one to the stray pet beasts that had gathered.
Soon, the stray pet beasts that had received food each left, and Boss Cat, rummaging through the now somewhat deflated sack, pulled out a bag of food to give to Xu Ran.
“I have a share too?”
Xu Ran was speechless, looking surprised as he received it.
It wasn’t pet beast food, but a bag of fragrant, freshly baked bread.
“I haven’t had breakfast yet.” Xu Ran opened the bag, took a bite, and asked with his mouth full, “How did you buy human food?”
“Meow-”
There was a hint of amusement in Boss Cat’s eyes as it pulled another bag of the same bread out from the sack, opened it skillfully, and began eating while sitting next to Xu Ran.
Seeing Boss Cat’s actions, Xu Ran understood.
It had bought the food for itself, and since he was there, it had shared one with him.
However, for Boss Cat, who is at the leadership stage, such ordinary food can only satisfy its craving, it’s hardly filling, right?
As Xu Ran chewed on the sweet bread in his mouth, his chewing slowed and then stopped.
He thought of a possibility.
Turning his head, Xu Ran saw Boss Cat looking upwards at the sky with a mouthful of bread, a look of remembrance and longing in its eyes.
Indeed.
Xu Ran showed a look of understanding, continued chewing on the bread in his mouth, “Did your beast master use to take you out for this sort of bread?”
Boss Cat glanced at Xu Ran and nodded slightly.
“Meow-”
The look of memory in its eyes deepened.
Different transcendent beings have different racial traits.
Some races are jealous, some are lazy.
While that doesn’t mean all individuals of this breed are this way, it’s definitely a trait shared by the majority.
The defining characteristic of the Furious Battle Cat breed is its insatiable appetite.
When the Boss Cat was still in the Transcendent Stage, having just made the Beast Master Contract with its Beast Master, it was intrigued by all sorts of food and wanted to try everything it saw.
Even though the Beast Master provided it with enough Pet Beast Food every day, the cat still showed interest in the Beast Master’s everyday food.
Back then the Beast Master only had one Pet Beast, and to satisfy it, all the food was always made in quantities enough for two, with one portion being prepared specifically for it.
Every morning, the Beast Master would buy bread from a bakery close to his home – two loaves of bread each time, one for himself and one for Boss Cat.
This habit persisted all the way from when he was a student to when he became a member of the Beast Master Association.
So, when he missed his Beast Master, he would go to that bakery and buy two loaves of bread – one for himself to eat and one to save, which he would only eat reluctantly when it was about to go bad.
The bakery’s owner was no stranger to Boss Cat. Even after its Beast Master passed away, he would always greet Boss Cat in a friendly manner, personally choosing out the freshest and finest loaves from the batch to give to Boss Cat.
The man and the beast sat in silence, finishing their bread.
“The bread was delicious.” Xu Ran meticulously folded the wrapping paper and threw it into a nearby trash can, before asking, “How have you been lately?”
“Meow-”
Boss Cat too, skillfully tosses its wrapper into a trash can. Upon hearing Xu Ran’s question, it flexes its robust muscles in response, showing off its great power as a sign of being well.
“That’s good.” Xu Ran smiles.
In terms of physicality and spirit, Boss Cat seems to be in great condition.
“Yesterday, I made a trip to the outskirts of the city.”
As Xu Ran’s words trailed off, the smile on Boss Cat’s face dwindled a bit.
The outskirts of the City…
There was a touch of vacillation in its eyes.
It has been a long, long time since it had left the city.
The Wild Super Creature that killed its Beast Master was already taken revenge upon by it when it reached the Leadership Stage.
By the time it returned to that area, the remains of its Beast Master were nowhere to be found.
The outskirts of the city, where it once lived day and night, now held no incentive for it to stay as the only thing left were heart-wrenching memories.
It gave a glance at Xu Ran.
It seemed that Xu Ran faced no danger on his trip to the outskirts this time.
That’s enough for it.
Just as these thoughts flooded Boss Cat’s mind, Xu Ran suddenly spoke, “Do you remember a crow engulfed in black flame?”
“Meow?”
The black flame? A crow?
Boss Cat’s eyes instantly sharpened.
Its powerful fighting attribute burst out uncontrollably, causing the surrounding area to momentarily stagnate.
It never forgot the Night Flame Crow, the one commanding all the other beasts during the Beast Tide that day.
It never forgot how it desired to fight the crow to death when it stepped into the Leadership Stage, but was blocked by countless Elite Stage Super Creatures, and that inhuman taunting in the crow’s eyes!
“Don’t worry, it’s dead.” Xu Ran said softly.
“I killed it.”
“Meow?”
Dead?
Boss Cat’s eyes grew round with surprise as it gazed at Xu Ran in disbelief.
Soon after, a certain guess seemed to arise in its mind as excitement and apprehension filled its eyes.
“This is all I could find.” Xu Ran gently placed the photo pendant onto Boss Cat’s paw, saying, “Keep this safe.”
Silent in front of the familiar pendant, Boss Cat sniffed at the remaining scent on it, as though trying to find the Beast Master’s scent amongst it.
After a long time, it clenched the pendant tightly, its broad and sturdy paw pressing it against its face, letting big droplets of tears slide down from its fur.
“Meow-”
The deep whimper echoed through the alleyway.
Xu Ran sighed silently, standing up to leave.
Perhaps right now, it’s best to let it be alone for a while.