A few minutes later, Scorpion returned to Red Packet's cell with a few other muscle blokes by his side. They intended to transfer Red Packet and Lightning to a separate location.
After all, the Pallas's cat king's raid only meant that the base's location had been exposed. Now that the Pallas's cat king was captured, the one remaining task was to transport the remaining cats to the auction site. With Pebble overseeing the security throughout the conveyance, it was the best time to transport Red Packet as well.
However, Red Packet was headed for a different destination. It wasn't moving towards the auction site but Faceless's house.
Ultimately, this cat was too precious for the organization. Hence, Red Packet would stay by Faceless's side while the adolescent apostles provided 24/7 protection.
However, Scorpion's jaw went slack the moment he set foot into the cell. The charred Lightning simply lay motionlessly against the ground.
"What the hell just happened?" Terror overtook his face as he drew closer to Lightning. Upon closer inspection, his brows immediately snapped together, "There's no chance he'll survive given the scale of the injury combined with the severity of the burnt. Sandstorm, ask him what just happened. How could a supercat thrown behind bars sustain such grave injuries?"
Sweat beaded Sandstorm's forehead. Before he even responded, Red Packet had already interrupted, "Just tell him that the Pallas's cat king attacked him. Also, I no longer require his companionship since he is just minutes from his death. Just let him die here."
Sandstorm could not decipher Red Packet's intentions: was he truly cold-blooded or was he simply feigning it? However, there was no way that the idiot could have survived the attack. Even his own mother would have problems recognizing him.
Hence, Sandstorm acquiesced with Red Packet's words and conveyed the instructions to Scorpion. Consequently, a group of men came over to transport Red Packet, leaving Lightning to die on his own.
However, just minutes after their departure, the same crackling sound began to erupt from Lightning's skin. This time around, more of the charred skin came off, exposing a large layer of pink skin underneath.
Onboard the SUV, Red Packet was secretly praying for his companion, "By leaving Lightning here, there's a chance that Zhao Yao would come over and save him. Maybe, there might even be a chance of him escaping on his own. Then, he will be able to contact Zhao Yao and the rest."
…
After Mao Gang had left for a few hours, the supercat tour group finally found themselves at their destination.
With a smug look spread across his face, Matcha sat comfortably on Sphynx Cat's back with a collar hanging by his lips. He set his sight on the ruins left behind and asked, "Have we finally arrived? Sphynx Cat, you are really too slow. How can you possibly earn the boss's trust with your lackluster attitude?" Then, Matcha continued with a cocksure shrug of his shoulders.
Sphynx Cat cocked his head to the side while sliding Matcha a condescending glare, "If you're so good, why don't you lead us instead? This place is swarming with sand. Furthermore, it has been eons since their capture. If not for me, all of you would never have found this place!"
"I'm exhausted!" Elizabeth collapsed to the floor with her limbs paralyzed with pain. With her face glistening with sweat, she exclaimed, "Rest! I need my rest! It feels as if my entire body is burning!"
Roly Poly too had succumbed to the physical exhaustion, "Master Matcha, please allow everyone to take a break. The journey here is simply too strenuous on our tiny legs."
"Hmph, a bunch of good for nothing." Matcha scoffed, "Red Packet and Lightning have been abducted by others. Their predicament is precarious! Every second wasted might mean the difference between life and death! Hence, we have no time to waste at all! Everyone, get on your feet! Right now!"
Uncle Egg reasoned, "Matcha, everyone has reached their physical limits. We are on the brink of exhaustion. If we attack now, our opponents could easily capture us instead. Isn't that right, Ares?"
Sensing the spotlight shining on him, Ares replied as he struggled to catch his breath, "Meow … Meow … Meowhahaha … actually … meowhaha … I … meowhahaha …"
Catherine asked, "Ares, are you tired? You can simply let us down and take a good rest."
Caesar could not understand all these complaints as he asked curiously, "Are you guys really that tired? I'm perfectly fine!" Then, he began to jump around and muttered, "I didn't expect myself to be so strong."
Hearing Cathine and Caesar's words, Ares was immediately thrown into a state of disbelief as he stared cluelessly at Caesar, "When was he ever this strong?"
However, his words betrayed his true feelings as he replied, "Meow … it's nothing … meow … I'm as fit as a bull … meowhahaha … I can charge in anytime!"
"Look at this display of strength," Matcha roared as he threw his paw into the sky, "Everyone, get ready to follow behind me! We shall attack now!"
"No!" Roly Poly's scream echoed as he threw his body in Matcha's way in a valiant effort to dissuade him, "Matcha! Your desire to win has clouded your judgment. By attacking now, you are simply disregarding the enemy's strength! You cannot fall for this!"
"Hmph, a Roly Rebellion? How dare you try to stop me?" Matcha's eyes swept across his surroundings and he slid everyone a look of condescension. Suddenly, he raised the collar from his neck skywards and shouted, "Look at this!"
Roly Poly felt a gust of chilling wind running through his body as he stared at that magnificent object. Instinctively, he took a few steps back.
"This object is endowed to us by our master. Seeing it is as good as seeing Zhao Yao himself." With that, he threw his paws in the direction of the desecrated building and roared, "Our boss has instructed me to lead an army and punish the thieves. When he is not around, my words represent his! Who agrees with me? Who dares to disagree?"
The sea of supercats was left speechless by these galvanizing words. After all, who dared to defile the very words of Zhao Yao.
A glimmer of jealousy flashed across Roly Poly's eyes as he stared in amazement at the collar, "D*mn it! If not for those useless fellas who exposed my actions, this collar would have been in my hands! Now, it ended up in the hands of that scum, Matcha! How can he ever lead us?"
"Alright!" Matcha scanned and was encouraged by the absence of objection. He nodded his head contently and roared, "Attack!"
Moments later, the supercats had commenced their historic attack against the base. Riding on Sphynx Cat's back, Matcha spearheaded the charge.
Sadly, the base had long been abandoned. After sifting through the ruins for hours, they finally found the abandoned prison.
Located in the deepest and darkest corner of the prison was the charred Lightning.
"Lightning!" Matcha jumped and instantly descended from his ride. Every spot Matcha's paw touched was met with a crackling sound as a layer of charred skin cracked and dissipated into the surroundings as dust.
"What happened?" Matcha was perplexed as he witnessed the usual Lightning emerging from the charred shell.
Suddenly, Sphynx Cat's ears gave a quick twitch as he explained, "He is still alive. It seems like his heartbeat is even stronger than before."
That was enough information for Matcha. He pounced forward and welcomed Lightning with a few slaps across his face. He was the key to everything: finding out what happened and where Red Packet was.
Despite the thunderous slaps, Roly Poly continued to sleep like a dead log. He showed zero signs of waking up anytime soon.
After 15 minutes, the supercats gathered back at the original spot and shared the results of their search.
"Only Lightning is here."
"I cannot even find anyone or anything else."
"Judging from the cracks across the floor, an intense battle had just been waged."
"I spot a tire trail leading in that direction! Maybe, we can try to follow it."
Matcha began to lick his paws thoughtfully and pondered, "Have they all been transported away? No matter what, it's best that I report back to Zhao Yao."
With that, he cocked his head to the left, towards Dust Ball who had recently woken up, "Dust Ball!"