Chapter 3

Jiang Cheng brought home the two bowls left from yesterday, changed clothes, and opened her laptop to log into the community’s homeowners’ forum.

Although broadband had already become widespread in big cities, many middle-aged people mostly only read the news or played casual games on portal sites; they weren’t very skilled at using interactive platforms like forums.

Only in communities with a high number of young people did the owners’ forums get lively. In the youth apartment complex’s forum, several hot posts were already discussing the indecent exposure incident that had been dealt with today.

People had also replied.

One girl said: [I’ve run into that too! It scared me to death. I just ran away]

Several other girls had similar experiences. When young women saw a man’s private parts, most felt both disgusted and terrified, and their first instinct was to turn and run.

Jiang Cheng clicked on the reply box and typed: [Don’t be afraid. People who do bad things may seem tough, but they’re actually full of guilt. Especially creeps like this—if they had any real guts, they’d rob a bank. The fact that they only dare to harass girls in secluded spots shows they’re cowards. Even if you’re not brave enough to fight back, just shouting loudly to attract nearby people can work. That’ll teach them not to dare do it again.]

Without parents, even if you turn and run, there’s no home to go back to, and no one will protect you. Soon, you realize you have to rely on yourself.

Although it had only been two years since “Jiang Cheng” left school, she was already completely different from when her parents were still alive.

Someone else asked: [How did that guy get into the complex? Could he be living here?]

Jiang Cheng took a sip of cola and typed: [Building 4, surname Chen.]

That was all she knew. Earlier, she had overheard a bit, and later the two suspects were interrogated separately.

After replying, she went to wash up. When she came back and opened the forum again, the neighbors had left a string of questions: [Is that the creep from today?]

[Really?]

[How do you know?]

[I’ll check out Building 4 later to see if it’s true. I helped hold that guy down today—I remember his face.]

Jiang Cheng didn’t bother with that thread anymore. There would always be nosy neighbors willing to investigate.

She closed that post and clicked on the pet forum, happily browsing people’s experiences and fun stories about raising pets.

Some things don’t occur to you until you start thinking about them, but once you do, you can’t let them go.

Jiang Cheng, who had been hesitant about whether to get a cat, couldn’t stop herself once the idea took hold. She wanted to adopt one.

And not just any cat—only the little black cat that had bravely faced that pervert alongside her.

Just like her, all alone.

Just like her, fearless of bad people.

They were too similar. She felt that together, they could make a good life.

Jiang Cheng scrolled through many posts and wrote down everything needed for raising a cat.

The next day, Tuesday, was less busy than Monday; she at least got off work on time. On her way home, Jiang Cheng stopped by the Duomart supermarket near her place and bought cat beds, cat litter, a litter box, and everything else she needed. She didn’t need to buy cat food—there was still some at home for feeding stray cats.

Everything was ready, just waiting for the little black cat to move in.

But things didn’t go as planned. Over the next few evenings, Jiang Cheng couldn’t find the little black cat in the complex. Had it stopped hanging around here?

Jiang Cheng was disappointed.

Other cats came over to rub against her, but there’s a fate between people and cats. Jiang Cheng only wanted to take that little black cat home.

Luckily, on Friday evening, Jiang Cheng spotted the little black cat she’d been thinking about as she walked through the garden after work.

The pitch-black kitten was sitting on the same bench as before, quietly licking its paw.

Jiang Cheng wasn’t entirely sure at first—since black cats have no distinctive markings to go by—so she tested the waters with a tentative, “Here, kitty kitty?”

The black cat paused mid-lick and turned its head to look at her.

Its eyes gleamed an emerald green, like a pair of precious jewels.

It was definitely the cat she’d been thinking about. It had been a few days, and it seemed to have grown a little.

“Here, kitty?” Jiang Cheng approached slowly, controlling her pace.

The black cat stared at her without fear, showing no signs of defensiveness or wariness. Jiang Cheng was sure now—this was the same cat.

Her spirits lifted, and she walked over to the bench, reaching out to pet it.

But as she moved, she noticed that the evening sunlight reflected off several spots on the black cat’s fur in an unusual way.

Jiang Cheng squinted. Sure enough, it was blood.

That was the bad thing about black cats—too dark to see any bleeding. If it was a white cat, you’d notice right away.

“Are you hurt?” Jiang Cheng realized. So that’s why she hadn’t seen it for a few days—it must have gotten into a fight somewhere and only now came back injured.

The little black cat ignored her and kept licking its wounds.

Jiang Cheng crouched in front of the bench to get a closer look. At first glance, the kitten was completely black, but a closer look showed the wounds were still bleeding. Much worse than last time.

Jiang Cheng had medicine at home, but this time she saw a chance to lure the cat in for good. “You’re hurt, huh? Why don’t you come home with me? I’ve got medicine there. How about it? Be good~”

As she coaxed it with her voice, Jiang Cheng tentatively reached her hand out to the little black cat. To her delight, the kitten seemed familiar with her now, not flinching or resisting, but staying docile and calm.

Jiang Cheng successfully scooped the black cat up into her arms.

“Our little kitty’s so smart,” she praised aloud, all the while hurrying toward her building in big strides, afraid the kitten might change its mind and bolt.

Luckily, the black cat stayed obedient the whole way, not struggling at all. At the entrance to her building, it even lifted its head for a look, as if memorizing the address.

Jiang Cheng triumphantly lured the black cat into her home.

Once inside, she kicked the door shut and set the kitten down on the floor. In that moment, she felt a joy like she’d just pulled off something huge—

She had a cat now!

A cat! Hers!

No more being alone from now on!

“Stay right there, don’t move. Wait for me a second.”

Jiang Cheng dropped her bag, quickly washed her hands, and opened her first-aid kit to find medicine that was safe for cats. She placed the black cat on her desk, cranked the desk lamp up to full brightness, and carefully searched for its wounds.

Now she could see clearly enough—it was pretty bad. There were several wounds.

“What have you been up to?” Jiang Cheng asked as she carefully applied the medicine. “Were you fighting over territory? Or...”

Out of curiosity, she lifted the black cat’s tail for a quick peek.

A pair of jet-black testicles, completely adorable.

“A boy, huh? Did you get into a fight over a girl cat?”

The black cat had been patiently holding out its front paws, letting her tend to it, but it was caught off guard by Jiang Cheng’s sudden move—an invasion of feline privacy! It nearly bristled with indignation.

The black cat let out a sharp “Mew~” and yanked its tail back, flicking it forcefully as if in protest.

“Oh, my, my,” Jiang Cheng laughed. “What a shy little kitten!”

Normally, she didn’t add so many cutesy words like “oh” or “my,” but for some reason, the moment she talked to the cat, they came flooding out, and her voice turned all cooey.

But it lifted her spirits all the same.

Jiang Cheng carefully applied medicine to the black cat’s wounds. She had prepared many things for adopting the kitten, and now she put a collar on it, held it steady, and dabbed on the ointment. Though the cat let out a few protests, it no longer tried to run away.

“All done.” Jiang Cheng unclasped the collar from the little black cat. “No more wounds, right? I’ve treated everything.”

The black cat lowered its head to examine the injuries on its body, feeling the medicine’s healing effects soothing its flesh.

After Jiang Cheng put the first-aid kit back and settled at her desk, the black cat voluntarily rubbed its head against her.

Was this... acknowledging her as its owner?

“Then I’ll give you a name first.” Jiang Cheng grew excited. “You’re not a stray anymore. You need a name of your own.”

“How about... Coal Ball?”

“Charcoal?”

“You don’t like either?” Seeing the little black cat’s indifferent reaction, Jiang Cheng racked her brains. “In ancient times, cats were called ‘li nu’—how about... Mo Li?”

Before the black cat could respond, Jiang Cheng had already fallen in love with the name herself. “Mo Li, that’s it! This one sounds nice!”

“From now on, you’re my cat, understand, Mo Li?”

“Remember, your name is Mo Li.”

“Our Mo Li is such a handsome little guy.”

Mo Li’s green eyes stared at her, and he let out a soft meow, as if accepting the name.

Cats were such quiet animals—completely unlike the neighbor’s dog next door, which barked every time someone passed by the door.

Jiang Cheng fetched the cat bed and litter box she had bought earlier. She opened the bag of cat litter, poured it into the box, filled the food bowl with kibble, and added fresh water to the water bowl.

She turned around, gently picked up Mo Li, and showed him around his new home. “This is your bed, this is your bathroom, and these are your food and water bowls.”

Jiang Cheng set Mo Li down. He took a few steps, lapped up some water, went over to inspect the bed, and then walked to the litter box and sniffed it.

Jiang Cheng’s heart filled with anticipation.

When raising a pet, the biggest worry was always potty training—especially for a first-timer. The posts on pet forums all said kittens instinctively knew how to use the litter box, so there was no need to worry.

But how could a new cat owner not worry?

Mo Li sniffed the litter. The scent was too strong—too stimulating for a cat. He turned his head to look at Jiang Cheng.

Jiang Cheng: “...?”

Naturally, Jiang Cheng had no idea what a cat was trying to say. She stared at Mo Li for a moment, then he turned back, crawled into his bed, buried his face, and curled up.

Jiang Cheng felt both joy and worry.

She was happy that Mo Li had accepted his new home, but she was anxious that he wouldn’t use the litter box and might pee or poop all over the place.

Jiang Cheng rubbed the kitten’s fluffy head, pointed at the litter box, and warned him, “Remember, poop and pee go in the box.”

Mo Li buried his face even deeper.

Carrying the happy feeling of “I have a cat now,” Jiang Cheng drifted peacefully to sleep.

Though it was just a small, furry kitten, her apartment suddenly felt full and warm.

In her sleep, she seemed to hear the sound of a window opening. Jiang Cheng turned over groggily and continued sleeping.

Jiang Cheng had expected to wake up on Saturday morning happily playing with her cat. Instead, all that greeted her was an empty apartment and a half-open window screen.

The cat bed was vacant, with only a few stray hairs scattered inside.

The litter box showed no sign of use at all.

But the food bowl was empty, and the water bowl had been drunk from significantly.

An indescribable disappointment settled in Jiang Cheng’s heart.

Had he left just like that? Without any hesitation?

Her apartment was small, but it was more than enough for the two of them to live happily together.

Wasn’t having a home a good thing?

Or was he really just born to love freedom?

The joy of "having a cat" lasted only one night before it faded away.

Jiang Cheng sighed. Oh well, maybe the timing just wasn’t right.

It was another perfectly ordinary weekend, just like the one before.

Last weekend, Jiang Cheng had realized she was a time traveler.

She thought it was a rare coincidence. Her attitude toward this world was to take things as they came—she just wanted to live peacefully and quietly.

But it seemed the world didn’t feel the same way.

That afternoon, as usual, Jiang Cheng went to the garden to bring food and water to the cats. She even looked around carefully and called out a few times, "Mo Li." But she didn’t see the little black cat again.

Feeling disappointed, Jiang Cheng noticed her head was strangely dizzy and heavy.

People in the garden were pointing at the sky.

The usually bright blue sky had taken on an eerie purple hue.

Someone said, "That looks scary. Is there going to be a thunderstorm?"

But the air wasn’t humid. The sky just wasn’t as bright, as if dusk had arrived early.

Jiang Cheng glanced at the somewhat ominous sky and felt her head grow worse.

She put away the cat bowls and went back upstairs. She thought she might have caught a chill from the air conditioning and took a packet of cold medicine.

But the dizziness and headache didn’t ease.

The strange purple light in the sky wouldn’t fade; it just shifted over time from a bright violet to a dull, murky gray-purple.

By evening, the outdoor temperature was much cooler than during the day. Quite a few people were in the courtyard—some enjoying the cool air, others jogging.

Someone had just returned to the neighborhood after a day out. Someone else had just showered, dressed, and styled their hair, ready to head to a bar for the night.

The next-door complex was filled with standard apartment units, mostly families. Even more people were hanging out in their courtyard that evening.

On a summer night, no one went to bed too early, especially on the weekend. Some kids were still awake, playing in the yard.

There were also moms, dads, grandparents, nannies, and babysitters pushing strollers or holding babies.

The small shops around the youth apartments were mostly closed—either with steel shutters pulled down or U-shaped locks hanging on their glass doors.

The BuDuoDuo supermarket, less than a kilometer from the neighborhood, had finished its business for the day. Customers had left, and employees locked up and clocked out.

The road was still fairly busy, with cars driving by constantly. On weekend nights, traffic even jammed near the commercial entertainment areas.

The clock on the wall ticked away second by second: click, click, click—

Jiang Cheng felt no relief from her cold. Her dizziness was getting worse. She thought she had a fever, so she dug out a thermometer and measured her temperature. It was 39 degrees Celsius—she definitely had a fever.

She took some cold medicine and fever reducers. When she stood up again, her vision blurred, and she could barely keep her balance. Luckily, her room was small. She stumbled a few steps to her bed, collapsed onto it, and lost consciousness...

Jiang Cheng thought she was just sick. She didn’t know that at that moment, the neighborhood was terrifyingly silent.

Because her neighbors were the same. Even though they hadn’t felt strange all afternoon like she had, at the same moment Jiang Cheng fell into bed and passed out—whether at home, outdoors, in restaurants, on the road, walking, or driving—everyone suddenly felt dizzy and feverish, and lost consciousness at the same time.

The entire city was like this.

Those who were at home collapsed onto the floor or the sofa. Those who had gone to bed early fell into a feverish unconsciousness in their sleep.

In the bar, lights flashed and music roared. Yet the people on the dance floor seemed unable to keep moving; one by one, they grabbed the railings and shuffled back to their seats. Before they could even sit down, they collapsed onto the floor, their faces pressed against the soles of other people's shoes.

On the streets and roads, people were also fainting. A taxi driver sat motionless by the curb, his eyes closed as if asleep.

Again and again, drivers on the road sensed something wrong in time to pull over, but they lost consciousness before they could call for an ambulance.

Even so, car crashes were inevitable everywhere. Cars burst into flames, drivers and passengers dying in their sleep.

No one called the police.

The purple glow in the night sky finally faded. The moon shone down on the world, and time seemed to stand still.

Every person across the globe had fallen unconscious, burning with high fever.

Some died directly in the throes of that fever.

Others woke up.

Next door to Jiang Cheng’s home, a dog sensed something amiss and barked anxiously.

Its owner, lying on the floor, had been twitching on all fours. Then suddenly, he lifted his head.

No whites in his eyes—his entire eyes were pitch black. His lips peeled back, and drool dripped down.

The human’s aura had changed. To the dog, which relied on its sense of smell, it was as if its owner had suddenly become a stranger.

Or a strange creature.

The dog backed away cautiously, baring its teeth and growling low.

Mo Li hadn’t actually gone far. He had eaten his fill, relieved himself in the soil outside, and was hiding in a tree in the garden, sleeping.

The world was eerily quiet, just right for sleeping.

Until the dog’s screams tore through the air.

Mo Li’s emerald eyes snapped open.