One day before the official commencement of cat king competition, Zhao Yao was standing beneath a magnolia tree, browsing the contents of the cat forum.
Opposite him stood Zhao Xue, who was in the midst of her intense training, as she continued sparring with the magically conjured Matcha.
Zhao Yao realized that this platform was not restricted to cat kings of the respective districts. Many apostles and supercats had successfully entered. Zhao Yao suspected that the cat king of the north had started distributing his superphones to them.
However, this made the forum way livelier than before with all sorts of comments flying through the place.
One particular thread was exceptionally popular, bursting with replies. The thread was titled, hot favorites for this year's cat king competition.
"Oh, that is something that I should be looking at. I must do my homework and gain a better understanding of my upcoming opponents."
He began by reading the first post on the tread, "The current Jiangmen City was unlike the past, with all sorts of powerful apostles and supercats roaming the streets. However, only one person will prevail and clinch the title of cat king. That person is none other than Chimera."
A reply popped up, "Who is Chimera?"
Another reply quickly followed behind, "You don't even know who is Big Bro Chimera? He could easily burn the entire city to a crisp if he wishes to."
Zhao Yao curled his lips in disgust and muttered, "Exaggeration! However, this name sounds so familiar. Isn't this the cat which the Japanese brought in previously?" Zhao Yao suddenly recalled that this was the fire-breathing cat which Nanami brought from Japan. However, Chimera had gone missing since that incident.
Zhao Yao can't believe that Chimera had turned into a cat king during this period and it's even participating in the competition.
Another reply popped up, "King Hanada! He is a well-respected cat king who embodies the perfect culmination of wit and strength. I will submit unconditionally to his rule if he were to become the cat king of Jiangmen City."
"Who even cares about what others think of him? Are you still living in some godforsaken era? The Cat King of the North is definitely the richest amongst them all. With him as the cat king, we will not have to fret for food or water!"
"The four cat kings have already said that they weren't participating. In my opinion, the headless horseman stands a good chance." A smile crept up Zhao Yao's face when he read that comment as he secretly left a like.
"What's so good about the headless horseman? All he knows is to catch those petty thieves. Last time, I saw one pair of apostle and cat leading an entire army, but I've no idea if they're participating."
"All the cats combined together will not hold a candle to Saint Cat!"
"Emperor Cat is laughing at all of your silly arguments!"
Suddenly, a black curtain descended on the screen once again. Zhao Yao rolled his eyes instinctively. He knew exactly what commercial awaited him.
Immediately, a black and white cat ambled forward with a bowl of cat rice dangling by its mouth.
"Have you thought of what to give for the upcoming new year celebration? Fret not, we have the perfect gift for you!"
"Northern cat cat food, your trusted partner."
Zhao Yao finally endured through the commercial as he began sifting through the forum.The forum abounded in information of participating supercats, turning it into a marketplace for a squabble. However, this had allowed Zhao Yao to gain an insight into the situation in Jiangmen City.
There were three supercats which were widely expected to sweep the competition. They were Chimera, Saint Cat, and Emperor Cat.
These cats were involved in a few large-scale operations and were thrown into the limelight ever since. With their large fan base, it was natural that they enjoyed the greatest fanfare for their participation.
While he was busy scanning through the messages, Zhao Yao noticed Zhao Xue stopping in her tracks. He raised his head and noticed her gasping for breath, with beads of sweat falling from her body.
"Done with practice?" Zhao Yao muttered while nodding his head. With one finger running across his phone, he controlled Matcha's illusion and said, "I guess that's it for today. I will give you the power of invisibility for you to return." With that, he instantly shook Roly Poly awake with a kick to his belly.
Roly Poly struggled to open his heavy eyelids before letting out a long and loud yawn.
However, Zhao Xue's face was a mixture of confusion and hesitation when she whispered, "King George, there is something that I wish to tell you but I'm not sure how to put it across."
"Then just keep it to yourself."
"But it's better if I say it out."
Zhao Yao instantly rolled his eyes. He abhorred heart to heart conversations with girls.
Zhao Xue sat on a bench and immediately poured her emotions out and exclaimed, "I broke up with my girlfriend!"
"Oh?" Zhao Yao's right eyebrow instantly shot upwards as a thought crossed his mind, "Is she no longer interested in females?"
Zhao Xue continued by saying, "I have no idea why but the feelings I had for her previously simply vanished into thin air. Maybe, it's because I have fallen for someone else."
"Someone else?" Flames of curiosity shot across Zhao Yao's eyes as he continued prying, "Who is it?"
Images of that tall, strong yet beautiful back view flooded her head. Her cheeks turned crimson at the thought of it as she muttered, "I have no idea if she shares the same feelings as me. Furthermore, what if she isn't even interested in females in the first place?"
"How can a guy possibly not fall in love with a beautiful girl like you …"Suddenly, Zhao Yao's jaw went slack as he began pondering.
He began dissecting the words Zhao Xue said and noticed the word, she. He bit his lower lip and whispered into Zhao Xue's ears, "A woman?"
"Hmph," Zhao Xue seemed somewhat embarrassed to admit, "It's Guang Yu. King George, you should know her! She was the one who saved me!"
Zhao Yao threw his arms in the air before facepalming himself. His head was in total, complete chaos.
Roly Poly's original expressionless face was soon replaced with a pair of giant eyes and a face full of excitement. His mouth trembled, "Has my sister fallen for me?"
Zhao Yao still had difficulty processing this information. He shook his head violently as if it could change what his sister had said.
"No, it can't be like this! How can it be?" Zhao Yao pinched the bridge of his nose and asked again, "Why have you fallen for her?"
"It started when I first saw her. I just find her especially dependable. She is my prince charming who saved me from distress. I just want to lie on her shoulders for the rest of my life.
Also, her back view is so pretty and handsome at the same time. The dress that she wore complemented her perfectly! This is the first time I've seen such a handsome woman wearing such a feminine dress."
Every word she uttered was like a knife stabbing into Zhao Yao's heart, "You should give up. I heard that she likes man, not woman. She will never fall for you."
However, Zhao Xue remained adamant, "I do not need her to fall for me. I just want to meet her one last time, to thank her for saving my life."
Zhao Xue knew that Guang Yu was King George's apostle. Hence, he was her last shot at meeting her savior. She had kept this all to herself until today. She just had to let it out.
"Stop thinking about her!" Zhao Yao interrupted her rudely, "She already has a boyfriend! Furthermore, she is already a mother of three!"
Zhao Yao did not wait for her response but simply left Zhao Xue alone, overwhelmed with disappointment.
Zhao Yao could not help but ponder during the journey home, "D*mn it, how can such a thing possibly happen? I need to come up with a good solution. I'll just start with the cold treatment."
Furthermore, Zhao Yao was just one day away from the commencement of the competition. He had no time to concentrate on this frivolous matter. He prayed that Zhao Xue would get over her.
Back home, Zhao Yao commenced his final sprint.
After two weeks of grueling preparation, his BOOK finally read lv5(7308/10000).
"It's enough for me to upgrade!"