"What the hell!"

  Do these people have any sense at all?!

  Fenix’s mind seethed with a myriad of profanities.

  He was careless!

  When he saw these two men, he remembered what Lion had said about clearing the area. Logically, anyone who could enter this place after Lion had cleared it must be someone important to Lion.

  Isn’t that obvious?

  Fenix felt he was being very polite.

  After all, they were the boss’s guests!

  He didn’t need to be on guard. Who would have thought they were cat thieves?!

  Fenix choked.

  Who would have thought of this? No one could have!

  I suspect these two have something wrong with their heads.

  What can you do with a kidnapped cat?

  As Fenix thought about this, he paused, then frowned, realizing that this matter wasn’t simple.

  He wasn’t just any cat!

  Fenix suddenly realized that he was indeed an Awakener now!

  This was the first time Fenix truly acknowledged the fact that he was vastly different from ordinary people, and a sense of horror crept into his heart.

  Damn it.

  Could they be kidnappers?!

  Fenix was very nervous.

  Awakeners were precious, even if they weren’t fantasy breeds, they were still valuable.

  Fenix couldn’t figure out how kidnappers managed to get into Lion’s territory.

  Not only did they get in, but they didn’t even trigger any alarms.

  Fenix remembered that the hotel was equipped with surveillance cameras and patrol robots everywhere.

  He anxiously gripped the seat cushion under his paws, looked up at the two men sitting in the spaceship, compared their physical sizes and strength, and couldn’t help shedding tears of humility.

  He wondered when his boss would notice his disappearance.

  Fenix sniffled and calculated the time, thinking that it had probably been less than an hour since lunch.

  Oh no.

  Fenix closed his eyes.

  If they only notice his absence at dinner time, by the time they find out and call the police, he’d probably already be taken off Cobalt Star.

  Fenix’s heart sank, and he couldn’t help but recall the bizarre encounters Athena shared.

  Such as being trafficked, kidnapped, subjected to human experiments, wandering the universe… Some even ended up becoming the leader of a band of pirates, fighting Raven, kicking Asmodeus, ultimately becoming a pirate queen with a harem of handsome men, regardless of whether they were romanceable or not.

  Indeed.

  Not only was there an Athena who treated the otome game like an idol simulation, but there was also an Athena who played it like a conquest game!

  When Fenix was initially shocked by the realization that his world was a game, he binge-read posts.

  He even read about an Athena who didn’t want to sing and instead turned to cooking, forging a unique career path.

  At that time, Fenix thought the game was a steal at $699.

  The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation.

  But now the problem was…

  He was Fenix, not Athena!

  Why does Athena think she’s so great? Doesn’t she know why?

  Isn’t it because she’s a player who can save and reload, starting over whenever things go wrong?

  But if Fenix dies, he’s done for!

  Fenix has only one life!

  Trafficking, kidnapping, human experiments… none of these were part of his life plan.

  Fenix thought about the future of eating dry bread without a drop of oil, and his heart ached!

  Ah.

  If only he had gone to the Awakener school.

  The man sitting next to Fenix noticed his dejected demeanor and tried to cheer him up, “Meow.”

  Go to hell! Get lost!

  Fenix showed extreme resistance to this stranger.

  But apparently, his resistance wasn’t conveyed clearly.

  The man looked up at his companion in the pilot seat, “What do cats usually eat?”

  While asking, he rummaged through the snacks on board the spaceship.

  The other person wasn’t sure either, “Fish, maybe?”

  “Oh.” The man pulled out a bag of squid strips, “Meow.”

  Get lost!

  Fenix stayed motionless.

  Cats can’t eat squid!

  “Ah, it won’t pay me any attention.” The man put away the squid strips, a bit worried, “Probably scared.”

  Damn it.

  Is that not obvious?

  Who wouldn’t be scared after being kidnapped?!

  “But it’s really cute.” The man chattered, “Cuter than the boss’s Awakened form.”

  Complimenting me won’t help.

  Fenix snorted coldly, then perked his ears up.

  Don’t misunderstand.

  Fenix was merely paying attention to the keyword "boss," not because he cared about being called cute by these kidnappers!

  The person in the pilot seat spoke up, “Don’t talk nonsense, aren’t lop-eared rabbits cute?”

  “Cute? I’ve never seen a lop-eared rabbit with muscles like this, heavy as a stone, and feels hard like rock.” The man grumbled quietly, “This cat is different, Lion has good taste in pets.”

  Fenix twitched his ears, listening expressionlessly, finally figuring out who was behind his kidnapping.

  Damn it.

  This must be a plot against the boss!

  Raven!

  We have no old grievances or recent enmity, and I haven’t even told Lion about your one hundred reasons for failing to court Athena!

  Fenix was furious.

  The only good news was that these two seemed unaware that he was an Awakener.

  Fenix moved his paws on the seat and cautiously “Meow-ed.”

  Their conversation paused, and both turned to look at the kitten on the backseat.

  The three locked gazes, and Fenix “Meow-ed” again.

  The two hesitated, then “Meow-ed” back.

  Fenix: ?

  Fenix: “Meow~”

  Two: “Meow~”

  Fenix: “…Meow.”

  Two: “Meow Meow!”

  Damn it.

  Are you stupid?!

  Fenix really felt like he was dealing with idiots.

  But it seemed they genuinely didn’t know he was an Awakener!

  Damn.

  Then what did they kidnap him for?!

  Just then, Fenix heard the sound of alarms approaching from behind.

  Fenix heard one of them click his tongue, “Lion’s robots are catching up.”

  Ah!!!

  My boss is amazing!!!

  Fenix perked up, leaning forward on the seat to look back.

  He saw a horde of various wild animals breaking through their habitats, herds from the savanna running alongside giant lizards from the rainforest, resembling a grand spectacle of migration.

  Fenix was moved to tears.

  Good heavens!

  The boss went all out to save Fenix!

  If Fenix survives this, he’ll be Lion’s cat in life, and…

  Fenix’s thoughts were cut short as he saw a hole suddenly open on the forehead of the leading elephant, revealing a gun barrel.

  ???

  Damn??

  What the hell is this?!

  Fenix was terrified, pulling back instantly.

  He looked around, the scenery outside the window stretching into streaks of mixed colors.

  A red laser flashed by, dodged by the driver with a sharp turn, but the narrowly missed window was scorched black.

  Fenix recognized this effect from war documentaries.

  It was a laser weapon, precise, penetrating, and high-temperature, a common choice in modern warfare.

  Fenix’s vision went dark.

  He saw lasers constantly grazing the spaceship’s exterior, causing him to be tossed around by the spaceship’s erratic movements.

  Fenix: “….”

  Damn it!!!

  Cease fire! Cease fire!!!!

  Friendly forces here!!!!!

  AAAAAAAHHHHHHH!!!!

  Damn damn damn damn damn!!!!

  Fenix was utterly distraught.

  Why am I, a little kitten, experiencing this?!

  …

  Meanwhile, Raven, with a gun pointed at his head by Lion, was also wondering the same thing.

  Why must I, a cute lop-eared rabbit, experience this?!

  His toes twitched, and Lion immediately flicked the safety off the gun, “Try running.”

  The bodyguard had quickly pursued the kidnappers, but Lion chose to stay to restrain Raven.

  Raven, this rabbit, besides having sharp hearing, had another remarkable skill.

  —He was especially good at escaping.

  Rabbits were known for two things, and Raven had honed both to perfection.

  If he ran, most people couldn’t catch him.

  So his subordinates were quite confident leaving him behind.

  Raven leaned in the chair, “Is it worth it? For a cat?”

  “That’s the Awakener I’m interested in.”

  Lion’s eyes showed a familiar color, the kind that suggested he was seriously considering pulling the trigger.

  “You’d better have a convincing reason.”

  “Oh…”

  No wonder.

  Raven observed Lion’s expression, “They probably thought it was an ordinary cat—they’re not Awakeners, so they don’t know your secrets.”

  He stood up, brushing off the cookie crumbs, “Everyone knows you have a cat. They probably took it for your pet. Let’s go to the temporary hideout.”

  Lion lowered his weapon, eyeing Raven suspiciously.

  They got into the car, and Lion said calmly, “You’ll have to pay for emotional distress, for me, the kitten, and the cost of operating and maintaining those robots.”

  Raven gave Lion an innocent smile, “You wish!”

  Lion ignored him, “Eighty-twenty split, I get first pick.”

  “Have you heard a song?” Raven asked, “Called ‘Big Dreamer.’”

  Then he sang, “Dreams fly out the window~”

  Lion decided to abandon the cooperation and send a few fleet commanders to raid one or two of Raven’s bases.

  Raven was oblivious.

  He hummed the tune, leading Lion to a dilapidated warehouse far from BluBay, kicking open the rusted door.

  …

  Fenix watched as the robots fell behind, feeling relieved yet anxious.

  Although there was no longer the danger of friendly fire, the situation still didn’t seem much better!

  Fenix looked at the spaceship that had shaken off the robots and was now smoothly navigating the course—it was riddled with holes inside and out.

  Fenix watched BluBay recede and the abandoned warehouse approach, feeling a chill in his heart.

  Did the boss report this?

  Remember to report it, boss.

  QAQ

  Poor Fenix, sniff.

  Fenix drooped his head, sniffing, as he was led into the warehouse.

  The warehouse looked dilapidated from the outside, but underground was a vast and clean space.

  Fenix was placed on a soft yellow cushion.

  The white kitten in a light blue outfit sat on the yellow cushion, the scene bathed in a warm glow.

  Even the large empty cellar seemed gentler.

  One of them opened a bottle of wine stored there, exhaling lightly, “Can we ask the boss to keep a cat when we return?”

  “The kitten looks good,” the other responded, rubbing his hands, “Wonder if Lion would let it go.”

  No way!

  Get lost!

  Keep dreaming!

  Wish you cephalosporin in your wine and many happy returns of the day!

  Fenix’s mind was flooded with profanities again.

  “When is the boss coming back?”

  “Should be soon.”

  As they spoke, the cellar door was kicked open with a loud thud.

  The two men and the kitten inside raised their heads, alert.

  Fenix crouched slightly, ready to make a run for it the moment the door opened.

  Self-rescue was always better than waiting for rescue.

  He stared at the foot that had kicked the hole, expecting it to withdraw, but it didn’t move, stuck in the hole.

  Fenix: ?????

  Damn.

  Move! Move a little!!

  Don’t give up!!

  Can’t you open the door and give Fenix a chance to escape?!

  Don’t give up, move!

  Fenix cheered the person outside silently.

  Outside, Raven stood on one foot, enduring the dumbfounded stares of Lion and the bodyguard who had arrived earlier, his innocent smile freezing.

  …………

  …

  Damn it!!!