Chapter 82: Beaten Until Questioning Cat Existence
At this stage of the World War, the Reincarnation Paradise side had a high chance of victory, unless the Apocalypse Paradise people underwent a fundamental change in nature and came to fight the Reincarnation Paradise side to the death.
There were still 216 hours, 24 minutes, and 30 seconds until the World Coordinates formed. If no large-scale conflict occurred between the Reincarnation Paradise and Apocalypse Paradise sides during this period, Su Xiao did not plan to get involved in the struggle for the World Coordinates.
After two chaotic battles, the three sides finally entered a period of peace. Reincarnation Paradise was half-crippled, Sanctuary Paradise was nearly wiped out, and Apocalypse Paradise had been hammered into self-isolation.
Or rather, Apocalypse Paradise's spring had arrived. If the World Coordinates were not in their hands, the Reincarnation Paradise side would not have too many contractors looking for trouble with them, except for a few battle-crazed madmen. But these madmen were attracted by Shennai and had no interest in bullying the soft and cute Apocalypse Paradise.
At present, Su Xiao had two things to do. First, find powerful polar creatures. Killing polar creatures not only yielded high-quality treasure chests, but Bubu Wang could also enhance its combat power by devouring the flesh and blood of polar creatures.
Second, deal with the Jungle Cat. This cat had become a major threat. As long as this cat existed, Su Xiao could not engage in intense combat with polar creatures. That cat was too smart. After realizing it was no match for Su Xiao, it kept following at a distance, waiting for an opportunity.
Felines are very patient. When hunting, they will wait for over a dozen hours at a spot where prey might appear. Creatures like the Jungle Cat, a polar creature, could wait for days or even half a month.
The grudge between the Jungle Cat and Su Xiao and Bubu Wang was no longer just about food. It was a matter of dignity. After being beaten several times, the Jungle Cat grew angrier the more it thought about it.
Just as Su Xiao was pondering countermeasures against the Jungle Cat, the alarm on the rock wall sounded.
Su Xiao stood up with a whoosh. He was about to rush out of the cave when he remembered the elderly contractor inside. Given the current situation, keeping him alive would bring nothing but harm.
Su Xiao made a gesture to Amu, who was carrying the Frost War Hammer, and Amu walked toward the old butler...
Quickly traversing the jungle, Su Xiao and Bubu Wang covered about two kilometers in a short time.
With a crash, the sound of collapsing earth came. Hearing this, Su Xiao and Bubu Wang exchanged a glance.
Soon, Su Xiao and Bubu Wang rushed to a trap. The trap was at least ten meters in diameter and a hundred meters deep, with grease smeared on the earthen walls to prevent prey from climbing out.
Su Xiao tossed a flare into the trap. The small flare exploded inside, and by the harsh white light, Su Xiao saw the scene inside the trap—a wild boar.
Amu had dug at least eight traps of this specification, all aimed at the Jungle Cat. From the current situation, the effect was not obvious.
Just as Su Xiao and Bubu Wang were about to leave, Su Xiao suddenly heard a faint pulling sound in the distance.
Following the source of the sound, Su Xiao soon stopped in surprise, then a smile appeared on his face.
Bubu Wang was also stunned for a moment. Ten meters away from them, the Jungle Cat was hanging in midair. Its sharp front claws were entangled in a mass of fiber strands, which was why it was suspended.
This was a trap Su Xiao had set a few hours ago. The Jungle Cat had already seen through this trap and deliberately destroyed it to provoke Su Xiao and Bubu Wang. And now, the Jungle Cat was hanging here.
In fact, the Jungle Cat being hung here was not accidental. After its previous clash with Bubu Wang, it had planned to keep its distance, recover from its injuries, and continue tracking.
When the Jungle Cat passed this trap, it didn't pay attention because the trap had already been destroyed. Moreover, Su Xiao and Bubu Wang might catch up at any moment, so it could only charge straight ahead.
However, the tangled mass of ultra-high-strength fiber strands was a secondary trap. Even if destroyed once, it could still entangle the hooked claws of felines.
The sharp cat claws stepped onto a clump of ultra-high-strength fiber strands, and the result was predictable. Su Xiao had once used this stuff to restrain a giant polar creature, let alone the Jungle Cat. With its strength, it simply couldn't break free unless it forcibly snapped the three-meter-thick Tanlu wood.
Thus, the Jungle Cat was left hanging in midair. With no foothold, it struggled for a long time, only managing to nearly break the Tanlu wood.
Su Xiao was surprised because he hadn't expected to resolve the Jungle Cat issue this way. Such is the way of the world—it doesn't develop according to his predictions.
"Meow!!"
Seeing Su Xiao and Bubu Wang, the hanging Jungle Cat bristled, its back fur standing on end.
Bubu Wang quickly rushed beneath the Jungle Cat, as if to say, "Little guy, you got cocky, and now you're stuck, hehehe..."
"Meow!!!"
The Jungle Cat struggled fiercely in midair, even starting to spin.
Su Xiao drew the longsword at his waist and walked slowly toward the Jungle Cat. His pace quickened, and he eventually leaped, slashing at the Jungle Cat's back.
At that moment, a dark green glow emanated from the Jungle Cat. Its body rapidly shrank, in an instant becoming the size of a house cat.
The longsword cut through empty air. The Realm Severing Thread shot out, entangling the house-cat-sized Jungle Cat.
A flash of blade light severed the high-strength fiber strands binding the Jungle Cat's front claws. Now, the Jungle Cat was wrapped up like a dumpling by the Realm Severing Thread.
The sudden shrinkage of the Jungle Cat was somewhat unexpected for Su Xiao. He attempted to scan the Jungle Cat's information.
Name: Shadow of the Hunt (Dual Form, all attributes reduced by 70%, body size reduced by 96%)
...
Seeing "Dual Form," Su Xiao understood what was going on. When he had previously scanned the Jungle Cat, one of its high-level abilities had shown as undetectable.
Skill 6, Dual Form (Passive effect unknown; this ability's information cannot be obtained through detection-type equipment.)
...
Su Xiao tightened the Realm Severing Thread. The shrunk Jungle Cat was brought before him. This creature might have tried to shrink before, but its sharp claws were entangled by the fiber strands, and shrinking its size alone couldn't free it.
The Jungle Cat's round, green eyes looked at Su Xiao.
"Meow?"
The Jungle Cat tilted its head, looking at Su Xiao with a bewildered expression, as if asking, "Who are you?"
With a slap, Su Xiao struck the Jungle Cat a hard blow across the face, sending it spinning a dozen times.
"Hiss~"
After taking that slap, the Jungle Cat revealed its true nature, letting out a threatening low growl from its throat and baring its sharp fangs.
Slap!
Another hard slap, and the Jungle Cat saw stars.
"Meow..."
Slap!
After the third slap, the Jungle Cat twitched a few times and stopped moving, seemingly beaten to death.
Slap!
The fourth slap brought the Jungle Cat back to life. Its dark green eyes were filled with fury, staring straight at Su Xiao.
Slap, slap, slap...
Five minutes later, the Jungle Cat, looking like it had been stung by a swarm of hornets, had calmed down considerably. It kept its eyes tightly shut because staring at Su Xiao would earn it a slap, and growling would too, so it simply closed its eyes and waited for death.
"It can shrink. Very valuable for research."
Su Xiao decided not to dispose of the Jungle Cat for now. As an expert in alchemical biology, Su Xiao planned to study the Jungle Cat. Its overall attributes were greatly reduced, and it was bound by the Realm Severing Thread, making it impossible to return to its original size.
Moreover, Su Xiao had made it swallow an alchemy bomb. As for refusing to eat it? After five of the Jungle Cat's favorite big slaps, it reluctantly swallowed that alchemy bomb.