"Meow! Meow meow meow~"

The instant Chen Mo arrived, Little Ash’s frantic cries echoed in his mind.

"Meow~" Chen Mo lazily replied, signaling Little Ash to stay calm. His gaze locked onto Guang and Ashan—their earlier words had set off alarms.

Guang seemed unfazed, but Ashan turned at the sound before resuming their discussion. "Leaving tomorrow feels too rushed. We haven’t prepared half the things."

Guang shook his head. "Travel light. Take valuables; leave the rest. They were strays anyway."

Ashan opened his mouth but closed it again, giving only a slight nod.

*They survived as strays before,* he thought. *But after being caged and fed... can they really go back?*

Sensing Ashan’s turmoil, Guang clapped his shoulder. "Don’t overthink it. Fellow breeders warned me—this raid targets *all* of us. If caught, your mom’s case is over. You understand?"

At "mom," shadows flickered across Ashan’s face. He took a deep breath. "I know what’s at stake. I’ll pack tonight."

"Good. I’ll arrange transport and routes. Take what we can; abandon the rest." Guang headed to the back room.

Soon, Chen Mo heard the rear door open and click shut.

His feline senses—sharper sight, keener hearing—picked up every detail.

*Last night here. Must escape. Or it’s game over.*

With his and Little White’s market value? No chance they’d be released.

Watching Ashan pack, Chen Mo stayed still and let out two low whines.

He was asking Little Ash what happened last night.

The reply came quickly: Little Ash had gotten sick after overeating. He’d tried fleeing the vet clinic with Little White but was caught. Ashan calmed them, and the escape attempt fizzled within minutes.

Chen Mo’s shock grew as they talked.

Little Ash had *mimicked* his behavior from the previous night. After sensing the pet shop’s danger, the cat had followed Chen Mo’s unspoken plan—even without him there.

*Too smart. Not like other animals at all.*

*Is this the simulation’s bonus?*

The system answered his thought:

【Post-update, simulated roles grant bidirectional talents. The host gains the role’s traits; the role gains the host’s traits in return.】

Chen Mo finally understood. During simulations, he’d gained animal instincts—and Little Ash had inherited his human intellect.

*That explains it. Amazing!*

Communicating with Little Ash grew effortless. Even Little White showed boosted smarts, though less dramatically—likely due to their near-maxed affinity.

*Our bond’s as strong as mine with them now.*

Seizing Ashan’s distraction, Chen Mo rolled onto his side and whined.

*Same stomachache excuse for three days.*

But this time, Ashan barely glanced over. No sympathy. He simply paused packing, sat on the floor, and stared silently at the door.

Thirty seconds passed. Chen Mo yowled louder. Ashan didn’t flinch.

*He saw through me?* Chen Mo wondered. *Would he really suspect a cat?*

He made Little White cry too—for two full minutes. Ashan remained motionless, eyes fixed on the doorway.

When he finally looked back at Chen Mo, his gaze held such complexity that Chen Mo fell quiet.

For the first time, the seemingly kind boy felt unreadable.

After a long pause, Ashan resumed packing. He lifted animals from cages, tethering one leg of each pair together to prevent escapes. He fed them, soothing their restless whimpers.

*What is he doing?*

*No chance tonight?*

Trapped in the cage, Chen Mo knew the lock sealed his fate. Little Ash grew frantic; even Little White paced nervously. Chen Mo’s instincts screamed: *If we don’t flee tonight, suffering awaits.*

He calmed them both, refusing to surrender. But no matter how he cried, Ashan ignored him.

Helpless.

At 1 a.m., Ashan hung a handmade tag around one animal’s neck. He approached Chen Mo and Little White’s cage, smiling faintly. "You troublemakers. Keeping me up all night."

He opened the cage. As Chen Mo stared in shock, Ashan lifted them out—his eyes flicking subtly toward a corner camera. "Sick on our last night? Hope the vet’s still open."

Carried to the clinic, Chen Mo felt uneasy.

The routine check found nothing. But freedom was here—he wouldn’t waste it. While vets "looked away," he signaled Little White. Both cats bolted into the night.

Gone.

On the clinic’s second-floor balcony, a vet offered Ashan a cigarette. "Those Ragdolls? Worth tens of thousands. You just let them go?"

Ashan pocketed the cigarette, thanking him. "They’re extraordinary. And never truly mine."

"Motivation? Who turns down money?"

"Maybe... it’s the way they look at me."

"You’re strange. I’ll rehome the rest of your pets—for free. Everyone’s got secrets. Good luck."

"Thanks."