...So... ugly?

...So ugly?

Imuel was like a solidified sculpture, the fur on his tail instantly puffing up, and then he completely froze.

He maintained the posture of looking down at his abdomen, stunned in place. If this were a comic or anime, one would probably be able to see special effects of him petrifying and cracking apart.

"..."

The Grand Duke of Illyria was conceited about his beauty. Along his journey to this day, countless people had cursed him. There were all kinds of nasty words, from bitch and whore to wishing him a terrible death and other messy insults, but this was the very first time someone had called him ugly.

The little kitten remained frozen for too long, and Bai Yu noticed. He put the medical equipment away in the drawer and asked casually, "Hmm? Do you know I called you ugly? Can you understand human speech?"

Talking to pets was one of the occupational hazards of being a pet doctor, and Bai Yu was no exception.

Imuel: "!"

He didn't dare let the doctor notice his abnormality. He raised his tail in front of his body to cover the bald patch on his belly, pretending nothing happened, and jumped off the examination table.

The doctor shook his head slightly and continued reading.

He was still reading that "Csorier Poetry Collection", flipping through it over and over again, as if he were trying to find flowers in its pages.

Imuel wandered around the clinic area on the first floor for a while. Seeing the doctor reading quietly and ignoring him, he went pit-a-pat and bounded upstairs.

Due to the tragic experience on the first day, Imuel strongly disliked the first floor. Compared to the cold examination table, he preferred the doctor's sunny bedroom on the second floor.

Bai Yu sat on the recliner, looking up in surprise at the kitten scurrying away, and commented, "Such short legs, yet it runs quite fast."

"..."

Hearing this, Imuel almost slipped down the stairs. He finally managed to stand steady, rubbed his face with his front paws, and cursed angrily, "Damn doctor!"

If he weren't living under someone else's roof, he would have had the doctor killed hundreds of times over!

As dusk approached, the doctor finished his reading for the day.

Bai Yu spread the book open on the desk, flipped to the pages with marks, and asked System 55, "System, can you record and archive all these annotated contents?"

System 55: "Of course."

The system floated over the pages. In a matter of moments, all the patterns in the entire book were recorded into its database.

Bai Yu stood up and took down his ash-gray trench coat from the coat rack. After straightening his badge, he put on a wide-brimmed fedora, tied a matching wool scarf, and scrutinized himself in front of the full-length mirror for a moment.

The person in the mirror looked gentle and refined, the most typical image of a doctor in Illyria.

Bai Yu walked out the door. Following the system's prompts, he lowered the brim of his hat to half-cover his eyes, turned at the intersection in front of the market, and blended into the dispersing crowd.

Then, Bai Yu followed the flow of people through Illyria's bustling main road, through sparsely populated streets and alleys, and through overgrown dirt forks. Finally, he stopped in front of a dilapidated church.

Today was Saturday, the day of the gathering mentioned by the beautiful lady.

System 55 flipped through the plot repeatedly: "What kind of shady organization did the original owner belong to?"

Bai Yu said, "It doesn't look like a friendly one."

The church was of a typical Gothic style, with spires and rose windows. However, all the windows were covered with black cloth from the inside, as if guarding some secret. Only the main door was wide open, its pitch-black interior radiating an ominous aura.

Bai Yu stepped inside. Before he could even clearly see the furnishings, his eyes were blindfolded with a strip of cloth.

With his vision gone and the black cloth covering his eyes, Bai Yu paused for a moment but quickly returned to normal. He stood with his arms crossed in a calm and collected manner, as if he had gone through the same process a thousand times.

Soon after, something pressed against his head. Judging from its shape and size, it should be a gun, and one with a large caliber. At such a close range, it was enough to blow a person's brains out like a watermelon.

Someone beside him confirmed in a low voice: "Code name?"

Bai Yu: "Raven."

"Address?"

"335 Sike Street."

"Profession."

"Doctor."

In front of Bai Yu, three or four other people were undergoing the exact same interrogation process, similarly being asked for their code names, addresses, and professions. This seemed to be a mandatory procedure for entering the church.

Bai Yu answered fluently, and the person holding the gun slowly breathed a sigh of relief: "Sir, may we be like blazing torches."

"..."

'May we be like blazing torches.' This was obviously not a complete sentence. There should be a second half that Bai Yu needed to answer with.

"Hmm?" The gun against his forehead pressed harder. The other person leaned in closer, repeating with unclear intentions: "Mr. Raven?"

Still silence.

"Alright, sir, I hope you are just joking with me. I will give you three more counts. Three, two..."

With the trigger pressed beneath their fingertip, Bai Yu heard the sound of the handgun being cocked.

He smiled. "My apologies, I just zoned out for a moment. To illuminate the smooth path ahead."

The person opposite him let out a long sigh of relief.

The gun was lowered.

"I apologize, sir. The Grand Duke recently fell into the water, and Illyria has been somewhat chaotic lately. We need to heighten our vigilance."

The person turned around and handed over a cane. Holding one end of the cane, he signaled for Bai Yu to hold the other: "Mr. Raven of 335 Sike Street, please follow me. There are new orders to be issued today."

Bai Yu naturally took hold of the cane and stepped forward into the darkness.

System 55 floated beside Bai Yu, not even daring to breathe loudly.

On its screen, the code phrase was glaringly displayed: "May we be like blazing torches, to illuminate the smooth path ahead."

This phrase was evidently a common secret code within the organization. The deciphered text of the book Bai Yu had been reading most likely contained the second half, it was just encrypted.

System 55 was the most sophisticated computer in the world, but when faced with a cipher that lacked any reference text, it was equally helpless.

Fortunately, the person checking the secret code had directly delivered the reference text right to him.

"May we be like blazing torches" was one sentence of the cipher, and the responses of the previous few people had also been recorded by System 55. In the face of the system's super computing power, all of Illyria's encryption methods were vulnerable, being cracked in an instant.

"My god." A huge sweating emoji appeared on System 55's small screen. It wiped invisible sweat in the void. "I'll have to file a complaint when we get back. To think they sent us to a world with such high difficulty without even providing the original text. Who arranged this draw? Are they trying to get us killed?"

It was just a lowly Abused Protagonist Novel NPC Roleplay System. How did this turn into a spy survival mode?

—Thankfully, this time it was Bai Yu. If it had been a certain Xie or a certain Lin who drew this script, the consequences would be unimaginable.

Bai Yu remained noncommittal.

He was led to the center of the church. His guide untied his blindfold and invited him to take a seat.

Beside him sat the beautiful lady who had spoken to him on the street.

The lady, wearing an intricate long dress trimmed with lace and holding a feather fan, looked Bai Yu up and down and smiled, "Raven, I trust you've been well."

Bai Yu: "I trust you've been well too."

The two exchanged polite pleasantries. Someone was also led to the empty seat to Bai Yu's right. He had a scar-covered face and bulging muscles, looking like a brute who relied on sheer physical strength.

The lady greeted him: "Hammerhead Shark, I trust you've been well."

Bai Yu silently memorized his code name.

Hammerhead Shark sat down beside Bai Yu. He seemed to be very familiar with the original owner and casually said, "The Sunday Tavern has some good goods. Are you coming?"

Before Bai Yu could speak, the lady covered her lips and laughed, "Where did you get these pretty boys and girls from this time? Do you call just any level of beauty 'good goods'?"

Hammerhead Shark sighed out a laugh: "They were smuggled out from the Grand Duke's estate. I heard they are quite different from ordinary people and have some strange traits. I want to see for myself."

The lady: "Different from ordinary people? Everyone has one nose and two eyes. How different can they be? Could it be that they have an extra cat tail?"

Hammerhead Shark: "I don't know either. I just heard about it, just hearsay."

During a pause in their conversation, a waiter brought over water and placed it next to them. The lady and Hammerhead Shark both picked up their glasses to moisten their throats, but System 55 said, "Host, don't drink it."

Its screen displayed the liquid analysis results: Chronic addictive poison.

Bai Yu picked up the water glass, took a sip, and, using the cover of his trench coat, poured it into his cuff. His trench coat lining was waterproof. With his arm naturally hanging down, the water trickled down his fingertips and dropped onto the floor.

Next, slips of paper were passed down successively, detailing the orders for this meeting. Bai Yu took one in his hand and saw that there were only two points.

First: Search for the whereabouts of Grand Duke Imuel. Strictly inspect all clinics. No one of unknown origin is allowed to be taken in.

Second: Hunt down and kill stray cats of unknown origin.

Bai Yu folded the slip of paper and put it into his coat pocket.

Hammerhead Shark was baffled: "Searching for the Grand Duke is understandable, but what's with hunting stray cats?"

The lady said, "Perhaps the boss was scratched by some cat."

Hammerhead Shark shrugged: "Or maybe he's short of a cat-fur scarf."

They each put their papers away, tied their black blindfolds back on, and were led out.

The moon hung high in the middle of the sky. By the time Bai Yu crossed more than half of the city and returned to the clinic, it was already midnight.

This world was more dangerous than he had imagined. Fortunately, Bai Yu wasn't a native resident, and the system had protective measures. Throughout the meeting just now, System 55 had been cursing nonstop, swearing it would file a complaint upon returning. At the same time, it promised that if he died due to the novel being banned, it would change to another book for Bai Yu.

Even so, Bai Yu had no desire to experience the taste of death. He planned to let System 55 decipher the other markings in the book tomorrow before making further plans.

As for today, the night was deep, and it was time to sleep.

Bai Yu walked up to the second floor, pushed open the bedroom door, and lightened his footsteps.

At this hour, the little furball should already be asleep.

Afraid the light would disturb the sleeping kitten, he didn't turn it on. He just sat on the edge of the bed and gently groped under the quilt to confirm the kitten's location.

When he got into bed later, he couldn't squish the kitten.

But the moment his fingers touched the furball, he couldn't help but pause.

The kitten wasn't sleeping. He was hidden deep inside the quilt, curled up in a highly unnatural posture, seemingly shivering uncontrollably.

This kind of trembling wasn't due to the cold or fear, but rhythmic muscle spasms. It was pathological.

It was very cold under the quilt. Without the doctor's body heat, it was difficult for the kitten to warm up the bed. Imuel felt the doctor's touch, and he couldn't help but nuzzle into the palm of the doctor's hand.

It was warm.

Bai Yu paused, then raised his hand to turn on the light.

He gently lifted the quilt, exposing the furball on the bed.

Imuel opened his eyes slightly, took a glance at Bai Yu, and then quickly buried his face again.

—He hoped the doctor would go to sleep quickly and not torment him.

He didn't have the energy to play the obedient pet game with the doctor today. He had been in pain for almost four hours since the evening began.

During the mutation period, there would always be a few excruciating days, just like how the ladies of Illyria would always have a few days when they couldn't muster any energy. Imuel was already used to it.

The difference between a human skeleton and a cat's was enormous. Frequent transformations put intense pressure on the body, bringing about a tearing pain. His bones and joints were unbearably numb and itchy. It was unavoidable. In Imuel's past experiences, he had to suffer through this every time a mutation period came around—sometimes for a day, at most for five or six days.

But even if he was used to it, it still hurt a lot.

Imuel tried to find a silver lining amid the suffering, thinking, "Fortunately, it's almost over."

Severe pain generally occurred toward the end of the mutation period. Once he powered through this period, it wouldn't be long before he could transform back into a human.

The Grand Duke buried his face in the pillow, thinking gloomily, "When I get back, I'm going to tear down the doctor's clinic and have him escorted to the Grand Duke's estate."

But what would he do once he brought him to the estate? Imuel hadn't thought that far yet. He might lock the doctor in a dungeon. And on the day of his imprisonment, the Grand Duke would dress up gorgeously, letting this unworldly, bumpkin doctor take a good, clear look. Then, looking down on him condescendingly, he would humiliate him and interrogate him on whether the noble Grand Duke of Illyria was truly ugly or beautiful.

Relying on these wild, unconstrained, and inexplicable imaginations, the pain lessened slightly.

Meanwhile, beside Imuel, Bai Yu observed carefully.

This world lacked the comprehensive equipment found in the pet hospitals of his past life, so he couldn't perform a complete analytical diagnosis on the kitten. However, judging by the furball's behavior, it was likely muscle or bone pain.

The kitten was breathing very shallowly. His body trembled slightly, his muscles spasming in an odd posture. His large, fluffy tail drooped listlessly, dragging on the bed sheets.

Bai Yu gently scooped the furball up and placed him on his lap.

Imuel paused but didn't struggle. He obediently laid down on the doctor's lap. With nowhere to rest, his fluffy platinum tail drooped over the edge of his thigh.

Although it was quite unseemly, the Grand Duke lacked the energy to care. In this condition, no matter what the doctor did, he had no way to resist.

Imuel only hoped that the doctor's care over the past few days hadn't been a facade, and that he wouldn't torment him during his most painful moments.

Bai Yu held him in a sitting posture and gently massaged him, observing the kitten's reactions to test out exactly where he was hurting.

"..."

The temperature of the doctor's thigh skin was burning hot, which, together with the quilt, created a warm and cozy space. The fingers stroking him probed from top to bottom, seemingly afraid of hurting him. The pads of the fingers pressed lightly against the roots of his fur, feeling very comfortable.

Imuel nuzzled into the doctor's embrace.

The gentle pressing provoked no reaction, so it likely wasn't a bone spur-related ailment. Bai Yu applied a little more force, pressing down on the muscles.

Imuel nuzzled him again.

The doctor's technique was experienced, as if he were giving the cat a massage or a spa treatment. With his palms kneading, the combined effect of the heat and the massage actually eased the sore and aching muscles a little.

Bai Yu breathed a sigh of relief. The massage elicited a reaction, meaning there wasn't a problem with the bones; it should just be the muscles.

He went over medical cases of cat muscle problems in his mind but couldn't find anything similar. He simply rubbed the furball's ears and asked, "Do you feel a little better?"

Imuel swished his tail.

His furry tail brushed against the doctor's cheek, hindering the doctor's massage. Thus, it was firmly grabbed and pressed down.

Imuel opened his eyes and looked at his tail, then let the doctor push it to the side and settle it down.

The kitten was so tiny, and his fluffy fur was as soft as cotton. Bai Yu could thoroughly pet him in just a few strokes. He gently kneaded the kitten as if kneading a soft cream puff.

Under the doctor's rhythmic movements, a belated sense of drowsiness finally welled up within Imuel.

The temperature inside the quilt was just right. Although he was reluctant to admit it, the doctor's lap was also very comfortable.

At this time, Imuel heard Bai Yu muttering to himself.

The doctor seemed to be recalling medical cases, deliberating, "...Sudden onset, muscle spasms, irregular pain that can be alleviated by massage. Besides these, there are no other symptoms... Could it be a genetic hereditary disease?"

Genetic diseases in felines were not uncommon. Scottish Folds, for example, were a breed of cat with a severe genetic disease. And as a pet doctor, when faced with a kitten that had genetic issues, Bai Yu's first reaction was: "—Should I neuter him?"

Imuel froze.

Even though he didn't fully understand the word, it was clearly not a good one.

Next, the doctor's hand fumbled downwards and rested on the kitten's butt.

Imuel stiffened.

Although the furball had just recently been injured and couldn't be neutered right away, he could still plan ahead.

Thus, that hand continued fumbling and stopped right on his little bells.

He lightly weighed their size.

Imuel: "!!!"

The Grand Duke's blood rushed to his head. If he had been in his human form right now, his face would have turned as red as wine.

He instantly understood the meaning of "neuter".

Damn this doctor! He actually wanted to do such a perverted thing to him!

In a split second, Imuel even forgot about the pain of the mutation period. Filled with shock and suspicion, he sprang up from Bai Yu's lap. When Bai Yu subconsciously reached out to catch him, he extended his claws—

The claws scraped across flesh and skin, leaving behind a shallow, bloody scratch.

"..."

Imuel landed, brushing against the headboard, and stared blankly at the doctor's hand.

The doctor's fingers had distinct knuckles, long and beautifully shaped. The faint red wound was embedded in the skin, like a crack on a piece of fine jade.

The doctor... was injured?

What had he done?

Imuel still remembered his current role—an obedient pet. And an obedient pet should never extend its claws at its master.

His body, which had finally stopped trembling, stiffened up once again.

In an instant, Imuel thought of a lot of things. He remembered the doctor's warning to "be good", he remembered the declawed cats held by the ladies at tea parties, and he even remembered the countless dead young boys and girls in the basement of the Grand Duke's estate. For a moment, his teeth even began to chatter slightly.

...He shouldn't have. He shouldn't have extended his claws at the doctor while living under someone else's roof.

A pet that wasn't obedient enough would either be remade or die.

Bai Yu noticed the furball's unease. Those lake-blue eyes revealed fear, as if he had fallen into some kind of nightmare. He gently reached out and scooped the furball up once more.

The injury on his hand didn't hurt much. How much strength could a kitten's claws have? The scratch was shallower than any he had ever received from a cat in his previous life.

But Imuel was scared.

His body yearned for the warmth of the doctor's palm, yet his heart feared his reprisal. Thus, he desperately racked his brains, trying to recall how to earn forgiveness.

As a pet, how was he supposed to earn forgiveness?

Imuel seemed to have thought of something.

He obediently stayed in Bai Yu's hands, stuck out his pink tongue, and ingratiatingly licked the wound.

Bai Yu paused, only to see Imuel tilt his head and look at him with a guilty conscience.

"Meow~"