Chapter Fifty-Five: Please, Don't Do This—Carnival of Updates Upon Release! (3/8)

I looked at Wangchuan, who stood behind me at that moment, his face dark as thunder, and offered a sheepish smile. The back of my neck was still tightly gripped in his hand; now, refusing to learn my lesson was not an option, so I could only force myself to smile.

“Master, does it hurt a lot? Let me blow on it for you.”

Saying this, I began to gently blow, accompanied by a smile full of apology.

Wangchuan kept his hold on me, squinting as he scolded, “So, even locked in the cat room, you couldn’t behave? You went out of your way to provoke others?”

“I didn’t provoke anyone!” I looked at Wangchuan aggrievedly, “I was confined here; if they hadn’t come, how could there be a fight?”

My words seemed reasonable enough, but Wangchuan paid them no mind, continuing his reprimand.

“Whatever I tell you, you must listen. Rebecca outranks you, and I’ve told you many times to respect cats with higher rank. How did you behave? You went and patted her head? Apologize!”

Hearing Wangchuan say this, my nose stung and I suddenly felt like crying.

“Master wants you to apologize! Hurry up!” Claudia suddenly spoke from below, then looked up at Wangchuan with sycophantic eagerness.

It wasn’t surprising that Claudia wore such a look; during the scuffle earlier, she was the one who suffered the most at my paws.

“But I didn’t do anything wrong! It’s not that I disrespect cats of higher rank—it's that those older cats abuse their status and bully me! Am I supposed to swallow my anger?”

I spoke with righteous indignation, staring at Wangchuan with a rebellious glint in my gaze.

With a smack, my bottom was struck once again.

“Apologize.”

Wangchuan squinted at me, waiting.

I sniffled, glanced at Wangchuan, then at Rebecca, and with utmost disdain muttered, “Sorry.”

It was reminiscent of those childhood moments when, after being bullied, you went to the teacher to plead your case, only for the teacher to dismiss the truth and order you to apologize. The same bitter expression, stubborn and unwilling to bow my head. Only now, the teacher had become the master, and this unjust verdict hurt a little more.

After the apology, Wangchuan looked at me, then lifted me by the scruff and turned his gaze to the few timid cats below.

“What are you lot doing here?”

Rebecca raised her head, “We came to see her.”

“To see what?” Wangchuan asked again, utterly indifferent.

Rebecca couldn’t answer. What was there to see? A little cat locked away in a cell—what purpose did it serve to watch me?

“We… wanted to bring her some food,” Claudia interjected suddenly.

I nearly laughed aloud; it’s not the formidable enemy you fear, but the foolish companion. Claudia was that foolish companion just now!

“And where is the food?” Wangchuan’s lips curled into a radiant smile.

Rebecca’s claws tensed—a gesture showing she was brooding. If I were her, I’d be brooding too. How was she going to explain Claudia’s words?

I waited to see how Rebecca would wriggle out of it.

Just then, a little cat who guarded the cat room actually dragged over a small cart with a bowl of rice atop it!

Rebecca relaxed her claws, took a breath, and looked gently at Wangchuan. “We just hadn’t had a chance to give it to her yet…”

Staring at the bowl, I realized I was genuinely hungry, and could only cast a pleading look at Wangchuan.

“Can I eat now?” I asked.

Wangchuan’s eyes flickered, then turned cold and dismissive, “You’re not done being disciplined yet. Eat? What for?”

His icy words made Rebecca and the others shudder.

He then asked, towering above them, “If you brought food, why did it end in a fight?”

“Because Bai Qianqian was unreasonable—she set fire to us!” Claudia blurted out.

Rebecca nodded repeatedly, looking like a frail heroine, casting sidelong glances as if too bullied to raise her head.

“That’s not true!” I struggled in Wangchuan’s grip, “Those two cats stole my soul, so I got angry!”

“Oh?” Wangchuan glanced at Rebecca. “You stole it?”

Rebecca thought for a long while, then shook her head.

“She did! She just swallowed it!” I waved my paw, pointing at Rebecca.

“What’s going on?” Wangchuan looked at Rebecca, determined to get to the bottom of it.

“She threw away a soul, and I just… picked it up,” Rebecca mumbled, not daring to meet Wangchuan’s gaze.

“I meant to release that soul! He was a kind person—I rescued him from an evil spirit’s jaws. I thought you didn’t want him, so I wanted to let him go… After all…”

I couldn’t finish, but everyone knew what I meant.

Souls given to Wangchuan never had a chance at reincarnation, no matter how much virtue they accumulated in life—it all amounted to nothing.

That was the end, forever.

I didn’t want that gentle soul to meet such a fate, so I tried to release him myself.

Truthfully, it wasn’t just release—it was betrayal. I had betrayed Wangchuan by sending away a soul.

But Wangchuan didn’t seem truly angry, though his attitude toward me was noticeably colder.

“Letting a soul go does deserve punishment,” he nodded, still smiling, but with a chilling edge.

So he was siding with Rebecca?

I hung my head, cheeks puffed with resentment—I disliked Wangchuan’s blindness to fairness.

But his next words rekindled a sliver of hope.

“Still, you were thoughtful enough to bring her food.”

“We…” Claudia and Rebecca exchanged glances, lowering their heads in silence.

“Master, we didn’t—Bai Qianqian’s crimes are so many, we feared she might kill herself, so we came to watch her.”

“And came up with the food as an excuse? Hmm?” Wangchuan crouched down, holding me in one hand and grabbing Rebecca’s paw with the other.

Rebecca nodded awkwardly, “Yes…”

“You’re quite considerate, then.”

“Master… we…” Rebecca and the others watched Wangchuan stand, poised to pass judgment.

“You all have made mistakes. Go receive your punishment according to the law. And you—” Wangchuan pointed at me, “You come with me.”

“I won’t, I won’t—” I struggled, knowing from Wangchuan’s expression exactly what was about to happen. How could I follow him?

Yet even if I refused, I was still in his grasp—escape was impossible.

Rebecca and Claudia trembled in fright, but dared not utter a word, quietly retreating from the room.

“If I don’t discipline you, you’ll never learn restraint, will you?”

“I’m not that unrestrained…” I muttered.

“Heh—” Wangchuan chuckled, ignoring my protest.

Then, with a sudden cry, I felt another slap on my bottom, my face flushing red.

Outside, I heard the whispers of several little cats, “That white cat is so pitiful, surely Master will punish her now.”

“Hush… Master’s inside, how can you speak so loudly…”

The other cat immediately quieted, and the outside fell silent.

I wore a bitter expression, looking at Wangchuan.

To be honest, being wrongly accused was a small matter, but if he really punished me… I couldn’t bear it.

That electric collar was more terrifying than the steel cauldron! The cauldron killed you outright, skin and flesh gone—wait, no! Last time, Wangchuan spared me?

Xiaoyun said that cats thrown into the steel cauldron turned into skeletons, still running around!

Thinking of this, I suddenly realized—the punishment last time wasn’t the real deal. The true punishment was something else entirely!

“Now you’re scared?” Wangchuan squinted, then glanced outside.

He was probably checking on Claudia and the others. Outside was quiet; the little cats in the cat room, all accomplices of Rebecca, would face no harsh penalties.

I had already figured this out—the enemy had the advantage, and I was tied to a ticking time bomb.

A bomb that could explode at any moment—but the good thing was, if it did, everyone would go down together. If I could sneak away before it blew, maybe I’d survive!

Wangchuan held me for a long time, listening until the outside was silent, then nodded quietly.

He looked at me, waved his hand, and took me away.

It was much like the last time I was dragged by my ear, but being held by the neck wasn’t as painful, and I could think more calmly.

It seemed I had to find a way to distance myself from this ticking bomb—if it exploded, I mustn’t be caught in the blast.

Though Wangchuan seemed angry now, he was still somewhat inclined toward me.

All those inexplicable things he did seemed like mere spectatorship, but in reality, they were all in my favor—I truly owed him thanks.

But when he brought me home, his face turned completely cold, and somehow, a small iron rack appeared on the table.

What was this contraption?

Still dangling, I was terrified.

Wangchuan grabbed one of my paws and tied it to the upper left corner of the iron rack.

Then my other paw followed, bound in the opposite corner—I was like a mouse awaiting judgment.

“Master… please… don’t, I beg you.”

I squeezed my eyes shut in terror. Why did it feel like punishment was truly about to begin?