It was night.
A clear, bright moon hung over the Pacific Ocean.
The open sea shimmered, unusually calm.
Under the dark night sky, the hundred-meter-long ship cut through the waves, beginning to turn its bulky hull at a slight angle, slowly heading back.
The Pakeaij (pronounced “Pa-kai-edge”) was formerly a military transport vessel.
Its super-powered, quad-core engine provided long-lasting endurance, and its modular design allowed it to shed any non-essential parts of its hull without affecting continuous navigation.
It once served the Huayuan Federation, participating in five major battles; though primarily in logistics, this added a significant chapter to its history.
After retirement, it was bought and refitted at a high price by a wealthy merchant.
Inside the cabin, the immense space once used for military supplies had been converted into a resplendent hall, wide and bright.
Crystal lights shone on the floor, emitting dazzling brilliance.
The surrounding walls and decorations were also plated with silver-white.
The auction concluded.
Wealthy merchants, having secured their desired items, embraced exposed girls with blonde hair and blue eyes.
Warm breezes, accompanied by the scents of whiskey, ’82 Lafite, and high-end perfume, permeated every corner of the hall.
As the organizer of this auction, He Zizhang sat on a sofa, embracing a tall, short-skirted Caucasian girl, savoring roast duck from a region within the Huayuan Federation.
The girl’s hands, white and tender, picked up the roast duck slices, golden with sauce, creating a stark contrast.
Wrapped with shredded green onions and cucumbers, dipped in sauce, and then personally fed into his mouth by the girl, the taste was exquisitely delicious.
He Zizhang licked the sauce clinging to the girl’s tender fingertips, his gaze fervent.
The girl sat on his lap, the scene between them intensely ambiguous.
Just as the two were about to deepen their interaction, the mobile phone in the corner of the sofa let out an untimely ring.
He Zizhang frowned as he picked up the phone, then gestured for the girl to continue.
The Caucasian girl puffed out her cheeks.
Though unwilling, she had no choice.
She gracefully knelt, lifted her head, and bit the zipper on the man’s trousers, slowly pulling it down.
Enjoying the Caucasian girl’s service, He Zizhang’s spirits lifted, not just mentally, but physically too.
He stroked her hair with one hand and answered the phone with the other.
On the other end of the line was a male voice he knew, like an endlessly deep darkness, swallowing everything, quietly echoing in one’s heart.
“My cat is missing. On your ship.”
When He Zizhang arrived at private room 23 with the yacht’s security, everything inside was neat, with no signs of disturbance.
On the floor by the door lay a finely textured golden anklet.
Zhao Yicheng sat by the bed, holding a fainted orange kitten.
The bright moonlight streamed through the window onto his face, revealing expressions of brutality and madness.
A staff member ran over and reported something to He Zizhang’s ear.
He Zizhang frowned but said nothing, just waving the person away.
He walked to a spot not far from Zhao Yicheng.
During his studies abroad, he knew his friend had a severe history of mental illness; one could even say studying abroad was secondary to seeking treatment.
However, thinking of the little silver-haired loli with a cat collar and red eyes, He Zizhang couldn’t help but feel regret.
Such a wonderful person, he must have spent a lot of effort to obtain her.
During his studies abroad, the other party had always been upright and abstained from women, seemingly a true gentleman.
Yet, secretly, he was raising a silver-haired loli. Tsk!
“Did she escape?”
Zhao Yicheng asked, then shook his head, muttering almost obsessively, “She must have escaped, right?”
“She hated me so much. No, she had such a serious illness, yet dared to go out alone and worry her Master. The little cat is really disobedient.”
“After I catch her, I should break her legs,” he grinned, utterly insane.
He Zizhang frowned, somewhat doubting Zhao Yicheng’s mental state. He paused, trying to speak tactfully, careful not to provoke him.
“The backup power box wires for the surveillance cameras on this corridor were cut. There are no obvious signs of forced entry on the door. Kidnapping is more likely than escape, but so far, no blood has been found, so her life should be safe.”
Though he said this, he sighed inwardly.
If she’d escaped, there’s a chance to get her back.
But if she was kidnapped and no note or bank card information was left, it likely boded ill.
Furthermore, there were so many wealthy merchants on the ship; it was impossible to search them one by one.
If they dared to do so, everyone has privacy.
Not only would it be fruitless, but it could also cause a lot of trouble.
“Kidnapped?”
Zhao Yicheng murmured, as if to himself.
“So she didn’t escape.”
“No escape.”
He Zizhang nodded, noticing Zhao Yicheng’s face change from overcast to cloudy, then to clear.
He highly doubted his friend’s current mental state.
“No escape, that’s good, no escape, that’s good. If she didn’t escape, she’s still Master’s little obedient cat.”
The bright moonlight fell on the man’s somewhat enchanted face.
He muttered to himself, repeating it like a eerie nursery rhyme.
Seeing this, He Zizhang quickly reassured him, “But you don’t need to worry too much. Only the cameras on this corridor are broken. They are currently retrieving footage from other corridors.”
“Just give them some time, and there will be results.”
Zhao Yicheng remained silently, but the corners of his mouth couldn’t help but turn up.
No escape, that’s good, no escape, that’s good.
If she didn’t escape, she’s still the same.
As long as she’s caught back, as long as she’s caught back.
“Meow~”
A cat’s meow suddenly drew their attention.
The kitten, supposed to be unconscious, woke up.
She shook her slightly aching head, jumped from Zhao Yicheng’s arms, and as if remembering something, bit Zhao Yicheng’s pant leg, pulling towards a certain direction.
He Zizhang watched the cat’s perplexing behavior, but Zhao Yicheng seemed to have a telepathic connection.
He half-crouched, looking down at the kitten by his feet.
“You want me to go with you?”
“Meow.”
Garfield meowed, pulling harder on his pant leg.
“You can find Xiao Yin?”
“Meow.”
“Okay, I’ll go with you.”
“Meow.”
Watching the cross-species conversation between the cat and the man, He Zizhang was highly skeptical of his friend’s current mental state.
Driving himself mad for a decent female slave, was it really necessary?
Though she had red eyes, silver hair, and an excellent appearance, and was a loli, she was indeed rare, but it shouldn’t come to this.
And relying on a cat to find someone?
Especially an undeveloped kitten?!
It’d be better to rely on a dog; at least a dog’s sense of smell is more acute than a cat’s.
But Zhao Yicheng seemed to believe it, as if under a spell.
He stiffly stood up and followed the orange cat out the door, step by step, like a wind-up doll.
Watching the man and the cat walk further and further away, the yacht security guards at the door didn’t dare to stop them. They stepped forward and asked:
“Boss, what do we do now?”
He Zizhang glared at him and said, “What are you standing around for? Follow them, and notify more personnel. Investigate as soon as possible.”