Chapter 290: The Cat's Reward
The naked little boy looked around excitedly, then grinned as drool trickled down his chin. "Hehe... something's gonna happen..."
"Tianma, tell me, did I hear that wrong?" Qian Wu took a slow step forward. "You should know that if I go crazy, I'll be more than enough to make sure one of you stays here."
Everyone in the Cat Squad stared coldly at the two before them, as if ready to strike at any moment.
"Little Qian, I was just joking with you," Tianma said with a smile. "I know your skills. Why would I be so impulsive?"
"Tianma, as long as you know." Qian Wu waved at the crowd, and the people in the corridor slowly retreated back into their cells.
"But this old woman is getting on in years, and my memory's a bit fuzzy..." Tianma chuckled. "What exactly is the reward you 'Cats' ask for again?"
"Cold, hard cash," Qian Wu said. "Give our families in the real world cold, hard cash, and we'll fight to the death for you."
"Is that so..." Tianma narrowed her eyes slightly as she spoke, the wrinkles on her face gathering together. "So you 'Cats'... need participants to return to the real world and send you money...?"
"That's right." Qian Wu nodded. "The members of the Cat Squad now span across forty years, so we can receive remittances from people in any era. Even though our own time is stuck, our families' isn't. Once they get the money, they'll be able to build a better future."
He looked Tianma and Tianhu over again, his tone contemptuous. "But you 'Zodiacs' can't even leave. How do you intend to do business with us?"
"So that's how it is..." Tianma thought for a moment. "Aren't you just bullying us 'Zodiacs'..."
"So we can't host you today, sorry," Qian Wu said, turning to two people not far away. "Lao Liu, Lao Qi, see them out for me."
The man and woman nearby nodded and walked over slowly.
"Sorry, you two." Song Qi extended a hand in a gesture of dismissal. "Fifth Brother has spoken. Please."
"Please." The other woman also extended her hand.
Tianma let out a faint sigh and said, "Little Qian, I really have no other choice. If you refuse to help... we might have to bloody this place up after all."
"What...?" Qian Wu's expression turned cold. "Tianma, my ears might not be working well today—I think I misheard again. We 'Cats' are no pushovers. Are you really going to start a fight here?"
Tianma smiled slightly, then reached out and pierced straight through Liu Ershiyi's chest.
With a *pfft*, blood splattered, and red dots landed on everyone's faces.
Liu Ershiyi coughed up a mouthful of blood. Then his eyes changed, and he swung both hands. In an instant, wooden sticks were planted all around Tianma and Tianhu's feet, locking the two of them inside a cage of chaotic timbers.
After trapping their movements, Liu Ershiyi slowly closed his eyes.
Tianma pulled her hand out and shoved Liu Ershiyi to the ground. She looked up and saw that the expressions of Qian Wu, Song Qi, Luo Shiyi, and the others hadn't changed at all, as if losing a teammate meant nothing to them.
Qian Wu reached out and wiped the bloodstains off his face, his expression darkening. "Tianma... you've got some nerve... As a 'Heavenly,' you just slaughter participants at will?"
Tianma and Tianhu exchanged a glance. They both swung their arms, slicing through the wooden sticks around them in unison.
"Yes, I killed him. So what?"
Qian Wu snorted. A great bell tolled in the distance. He reached forward and grabbed at Tianma's arm.
Tianma sensed trouble immediately. She took a step back and shoved Tianhu forward, letting him collide with Qian Wu.
Tianhu, confused, could only stare blankly at the dwarf in front of him, who was about the same height.
Tianma sighed helplessly. "'Twin Blossom' Qian Wu... your temper is still too quick. What will we do if someone really ends up dead?"
"Haha!" Qian Wu laughed loudly. "How amusing! You killed my brother, and now you say you're afraid of death?"
"Little Qian... I really have no choice..." Tianma said, her face full of smiles. "Tianlong has given all 'Heavenly-level' special privileges this time. We can kill any participant at will... and if we can't find that person, we're even allowed to launch a 'Heavenly-level' game. So even if you want to start a war with the two of us, it doesn't matter. You have to take this deal."
When Qian Wu heard that, his tone finally softened.
"You mean... all the current 'Heavenly-levels' have been mobilized...?" He frowned in disbelief. "What could be so serious?"
"I don't know." Tianma shook her head with a smile. "All I know is that Tianlong said we need to find a special Resonator. If we don't, we're all in big trouble."
Qian Wu weighed the pros and cons of the situation carefully. He felt that Tianma seemed to be going all in, and this was the first day of the cycle. The number of people in the Cat Squad who had obtained a 'Resonance' was too small. If they really fought here, they might be able to take down one of the 'Heavenly-levels,' but it would also cost the Cat Squad heavy casualties.
"Tianma, first tell me what exactly you mean by 'the deal'?"
"I told you. Find someone." Tianma repeated. "Six days ago, someone triggered a powerful 'Resonance.' We need to find that person... Unfortunately, this 'Resonator' appeared at night. None of the 'Zodiacs' saw him. To get the job done faster, we have to rely on 'participants.'"
"Six days ago... at night...?" Qian Wu was startled. He turned to look at Song Qi.
That night was the day the Cat Squad was completely wiped out.
"That massive 'Resonance'... I need you to do everything possible to find that person..." Tianma said with a grave expression. "Otherwise, all of us 'Heavenly-levels' will be punished, and when that happens, I won't let you off easy either."
"But that's not how business is done." Qian Wu looked at Liu Ershiyi's corpse on the ground and sneered. "You killed my brother and still want me to work for you. I have to take something from you in return."
"Then what do you want...?" Tianma frowned. "I can't pay you money, so name another condition, and this old woman will try her best to agree."
Qian Wu let go of Tianhu's arm and smiled again. "Tianma, I want one 'favor' from you. If the day comes when I need you, you help me with something."
Tianma's wrinkles slowly gathered as she raised a hand to tap her lower back.
"Owning you, Qian Wu, a favor in this 'Land of the End' is no small matter," she said hesitantly. "This condition is far too valuable..."
"Don't worry. You should know that we 'Cats' don't want to leave and don't want to cause trouble," Qian Wu said with a smile. "Deal?"
He extended his right hand in a gesture of goodwill, but Tianma didn't dare touch him.
Her eyes darted for a moment, then she nodded. "Fine. You help me find that 'Resonator,' and I'll agree to do one thing for you... but if that thing is too dangerous, I won't agree."
"Fair enough." Qian Wu nodded and withdrew his hand.