Chapter Fifty-Two: Once Rented a Room Together—Special Gold Diamond Release (3/3)

A jolt of shock ran through me as I turned, utterly astonished, to look at Rebecca.

“Oh?” Wangchuan, on the other hand, appeared genuinely intrigued, waving a hand. “Go on, explain.”

Rebecca lifted her head. “It’s like this: three days ago, while you and Lord Qilin were out, Bai Qianqian drugged the guards and escaped from the prison. There are witnesses to this.”

With that, Rebecca nodded at Claudia.

Claudia, in turn, picked out a few kittens from the crowd. I recognized them at once—they were the same kittens who always sat outside playing cards when I was locked in the Cat Room.

They were the ones assigned to guard the Cat Room. Every time I saw them, disaster awaited me.

But what I still couldn’t understand was why I was being accused of escaping prison three days ago.

That day, Wangchuan had clearly used some spell to put these kittens to sleep. He hadn’t entered the Cat Room as my “master” to lead me out; instead, he’d staged it so it appeared I had drugged them myself and then escaped.

So, it was understandable that everyone believed I’d broken out. But the timing didn’t add up. More importantly, what was Wangchuan’s intention in orchestrating this?

I stood there, watching as Claudia brought the kittens over, each one describing the events of that night.

“That night, I saw a cloud of black mist sweeping through, and then I blacked out! When I woke up, the prisoner was gone. We searched everywhere, but she was nowhere to be found!”

“Yes, she hasn’t come back for three days. No one knows where she went!”

“All we know is, that shadowy figure must have something to do with her! Also, it seemed like someone from the Underworld!”

“You’re really making a mountain out of a molehill,” Rebecca said, waving her hand in disbelief. “But let’s be sure before we make accusations.”

As I listened to these kittens, I couldn’t help but think they were making things up.

“No, Rebecca, we really did smell the scent of the Underworld! This kitten’s had dealings with them before. If someone from there came to rescue her, it wouldn’t be impossible!”

“Well… that does make a certain sense,” Rebecca nodded. “What do you think, Master?”

Wangchuan smiled faintly. “Yes, I think that’s possible. You’re all quite right.”

Rebecca immediately looked at Wangchuan with adoring eyes, as if five golden flowers were blooming beside her cheeks!

Truly, give her a little sweetness and she’s all smiles! Wasn’t she showing her eagerness to please her master a bit too soon?

I glanced at Wangchuan, noting the calculating smile on his lips. He seemed to be listening intently to the kittens, but it was clear his mind was on something else entirely.

I couldn’t help but recall the day he took me away. He’d forced me to transform into human form and then used that terrifying high-voltage current on me, nearly killing me.

In the end, I’d lain immobilized on his bed, helpless under his stroking hand, and slept straight through till dawn.

Could it be, then, that Wangchuan really had kept me with him for three days, and I—having turned human for the first time and endured so much—had simply slept for three days and nights?

This thought startled me so much I staggered back a step, but then a wave of clarity washed over me.

If that was the case, then Wangchuan was deliberately withholding the truth about those three days, wanting to watch what these kittens would do.

Was he just here to enjoy the show?

The kittens kept describing that night, and in the end, Claudia looked at me triumphantly, as if she’d already won. “Well, do you have anything to say in your defense?”

I let out a long, mocking laugh before replying, “So what if I was there? So what if I wasn’t? What proof do you have that I wasn’t in my cell? And if I was, can you really claim I had anything to do with that shadowy bastard?”

As I spoke, I glanced at Wangchuan.

He bit his lip slightly—an action that looked sensuous but carried an unmistakable trace of venom.

It was as if he was saying: Just wait until we get home.

But so what if that’s the case? That black shadow was him! He was the one who took me away! Now they’re accusing me of breaking out of prison!

He made me sleep for three days! Now they’re saying I committed murder during those three days!

He’s an absolute scoundrel, not even bothering to clear my name—calling him names is nothing!

Wangchuan’s expression shifted for a long moment. He seemed to realize I’d finally caught on. I flicked my tail, feeling rather pleased with my own sharpness.

Claudia smiled once more. “There are no secrets under heaven. You know exactly what you’ve done.”

“Oh, really?” I spun around arrogantly. “Fine, then—prove it! Tell me exactly what I supposedly did, and don’t leave out a single detail!”

At first, I’d been confused, unable to grasp what was happening, so my words had lacked the edge of these two cats.

But now that I understood the situation, I felt confident. No matter whether Wangchuan was on my side or just enjoying the spectacle, I was sure that if Claudia and Rebecca kept spinning their tale, they’d inevitably expose themselves.

Claudia waved a paw. “You lot, come here.”

This time, the kittens who stepped forward were strangers to me. They sat quietly in a row before Claudia, heads bowed obediently.

I had no idea what trick Claudia was up to, but I was curious to see what would happen next.

“Master, these kittens saw Bai Qianqian escaping the Rift in the middle of the night,” Claudia announced respectfully.

“Mhm,” Wangchuan replied, glancing over the kittens.

Was he memorizing their faces?

Thinking of this, I shivered and edged back. The torment I’d suffered from that collar was something I never wanted to experience again. I resolved to keep my head down and not vie for attention like Rebecca.

“Go on, tell us what you saw.”

Rebecca, who’d been fawning, forced a graceful smile when Wangchuan didn’t respond and gave the order.

I looked at the kittens, then at Rebecca.

Ah, do they really think they’re the queen? If you can’t win the emperor’s heart, you’ll always be just a high-ranking eunuch.

“Master, that night, I saw Bai Qianqian and someone else heading for the Rift’s exit,” one kitten began.

“Yes, they were laughing and joking, and the shadowy figure had his arm around her. Clearly, they were more than acquaintances.”

I frowned, listening to their fabrication.

Were they just making this up?

That night, I’d been bound by Wangchuan, dragged home by my ear, nearly in tears! How could they claim we were laughing and joking, strolling to the exit together?

“Go on,” Wangchuan said lazily, propping his chin in his hand, watching the kittens.

Perhaps encouraged by Wangchuan’s earlier display of favor toward Rebecca, the kittens exchanged glances and seemed to double down on their story.

“Other kittens saw it too, Master! You can ask them.”

Before Wangchuan could speak, the remaining silent kittens nodded emphatically.

“Yes, yes! It’s true, we all saw it—clear as day!”

“Oh?” Wangchuan’s lips curled in that same “gentle” smile. “Clear as day, you say?”

“Yes! That shadow was definitely a Soul Hunter!”

“And we smelled the Underworld on them, just like those demons last time!”

“Master, Bai Qianqian is clearly a traitor who’s brought evil spirits here. You must punish her!”

“Master—”

I stopped listening at this point, sensing there was no need. The crowd’s rising indignation and their calls for Wangchuan to rid the world of me were pointless. If Wangchuan really saw me as an incorrigible troublemaker, always at the center of every disaster, he would likely have executed me on the spot already.

He’d probably had enough long before this. Whether I was guilty or not, he’d kill me as a warning to others, not sparing anyone.

But, I thought, while they’d correctly guessed I broke out, they never imagined it was Wangchuan who’d taken me away.

And now, the one spinning this tall tale against me was also Wangchuan!

A surge of schadenfreude rose in me. I wondered how Wangchuan would play things from here.

So, trembling, I stammered, “You… What time was it that you saw… Wasn’t it…?”

Feigning terror, I bit my lip.

The kittens lowered their heads, seemed to confer, then raised their paws.

“Around one or two in the morning!”

I nearly burst out laughing. At that hour, I’d been curled up in Wangchuan’s arms, purring away—how could I have been out roaming?

But a moment later, I leapt up in protest. “Ah—you’re making this up! Who would have seen me sneaking out in the dead of night?”

Instantly, the kittens erupted in cries of alarm.

Wangchuan watched me, clearly realizing I was now playing along with his game.

He was enjoying the show—I might as well join in and muddy the waters even further!

After all, I was already accused of two murders, and now treason as well—what more could I possibly fear?

Besides, Xiao Yi was right: today was the day of final judgment! They would soon learn what it meant to be trapped by their own lies.

“We just happened to be going out… and you said you were leaving! You…” One kitten, panicked, looked to Wangchuan. “She admitted it!”

“No!” I stretched out my five claws, lunging desperately at Wangchuan, like a fallen damsel in the street. “Master, listen to me! It’s not like that! I didn’t escape! Please believe me!”

Once again, all he said was, “Mm. I believe you.”

I froze—was he really going to go off-script like that?

But then, feigning heartbreak, I reached out with my paw. “Master…”

Rebecca, seeing my abrupt change and thinking Wangchuan believed me, signaled for several other cats to drag me away.

Now I was in an even sorrier state.

“Let me go! Let go of me!”

Rebecca sneered. “Master—Bai Qianqian’s crimes don’t end there. She’s even spent the night with a Soul Hunter from the Underworld while in the mortal realm. We’ve found records of it.”

I stared, stunned.

How could they have faked even that?!

But at that moment, Wangchuan’s face darkened, his eyes narrowing.

Rebecca turned, waving her paw to signal for the other kittens to bring something over. As she brushed past me, she whispered in my ear:

“Heh, you wretch. Let’s see if you survive this time.”