Chapter 415: A Paradise for Cats

The small boat drifted along the coastline from east to west, sailing toward the magnified golden sunset. The shimmering waves stretched endlessly as they gradually passed a fishing village and reached a deserted sandy beach.

Song You was not at all skilled at rowing, but life was meant for new experiences. So, he clumsily maneuvered the boat toward the shore. Fortunately, throughout the process, his cat and the little swallow perched steadily at the bow, watching the direction for him without a hint of mockery.

The boat reached the beach, its bottom scraping against the shore.

Song You took off his shoes, rolled up his pant legs, and jumped down. Just as he turned around to reassure Lady Calico not to panic, he saw the cat poised at the bow, ready to jump. With a soft splash, she followed him into the seawater.

The water reached Song You’s ankles and covered half of Lady Calico’s legs. The waves rolled in gently, rising higher each time, nearly reaching the base of the cat’s thighs at their peak.

Song You stared at the cat, and the cat tilted her head up, staring right back at him.

“Why did you jump down, Lady Calico?”

“Why did you jump down, Daoist priest?”

“The seawater has salt and sand. When it dries, it’ll leave a crust on your fur.”

“Then why did you jump down?”

“I need to pull the boat ashore.”

“I saw you jump down, so I jumped down too.”

“Just get to the shore already...”

Song You decided not to argue further. He pointed toward the sandy beach behind her and then grasped the rope at the bow, tugging the boat inch by inch onto the shore.

As he struggled, he suddenly felt a force assisting him from behind.

Turning around, he saw the cat biting the end of the rope, pulling with all her might. Her four tiny paws dug into the sand, sinking deep with each exertion—who knew if flowers were blooming beneath them?

Swish...

The bottom of the boat scraped against the sand, leaving a faint trail behind.

“The tide will rise at night, and the seawater will keep creeping higher. We need to pull the boat farther in and tie the rope to that tree.”

“Mm-hmm...”

Slowly, the boat moved further from the shoreline.

“Thank you, Lady Calico. If not for your strength helping from behind, I would’ve been utterly exhausted,” Song You said as he secured the rope. “Once again, you’ve been a great help.”

Yet, the hard-working, meritorious Lady Calico did not respond.

Song You couldn’t help but glance over at her.

The sea air was thick with moisture. The sun had sunk to the horizon, its light refracted by the mist, turning the sky into a masterpiece of gradient colors. The village houses and coconut trees stood silhouetted against this breathtaking backdrop. The cat, however, had her head lowered, staring intently at the sand with a look of deep curiosity and seriousness.

It was different from what she had imagined—

This beach was alive, brimming with life.

She had noticed it earlier, while working hard to help pull the boat. This sandy shore was unlike any other she had visited before, whether by the sea or elsewhere. The ground was filled with countless tiny holes, densely packed, no larger than the marks left by the little bamboo stick she and the Daoist once used to prod at a flood dragon during an observation ritual. In front of each hole sat a small mound of sand, and when no one was walking by, the entire shore was crawling with tiny crabs, each no bigger than a droplet of water.

These tiny crabs, small as beans, were incredibly quick-witted. At the slightest disturbance, they all scurried madly back into their burrows.

Had they just stayed put, she might have ignored them. But now that they were fleeing—wasn’t that just deliberately tempting her?

Lady Calico stared blankly for a moment, completely tuning out whatever the Daoist was saying. She simply couldn’t hold back. Her body moved on its own, flicking off the seawater before pouncing forward.

These little creatures were fast.

But faster than Lady Calico? Not a chance!

Song You sat at a distance, leaning against the boat’s side. As he wiped off the salt and sand clinging to his feet, he watched the scene before him with a smile.

His cat was darting left and right across the sand, pouncing playfully. Sometimes, she would leap forward to press a tiny crab under her paw, then lean in for a closer look—clearly embracing her innate curiosity and thirst for knowledge.

Other times, she would pick one up in her mouth, carrying it back to drop into the Daoist’s palm as a gift for him to play with, or place it in front of the little swallow as an offering—practicing the noble art of sharing.

At times, she would block the entrance of a crab’s burrow just as it was about to scuttle inside, eager to see where it would run next. And sometimes, she would gently nudge a motionless crab, trying to get it to move again...

This place was undoubtedly novel and endlessly fascinating for Lady Calico. In no time at all, she had become completely absorbed in it.

The sun gradually dipped below the horizon, painting the sky in vibrant hues that reflected onto the sea in twin streaks of fiery red.

With Lady Calico around, even time seemed to slow.

Song You wandered into the nearby grove to gather firewood. It had been a long time since he had done this himself. He also chose a coconut tree and laid out a woolen mat and blanket beneath it. When he finally lit the fire, he glanced back at the beach—only to find a chaotic sprawl of tiny plum-blossom paw prints, but no sign of the cat.

His gaze shifted, searching for her, and soon, he spotted her.

Lady Calico appeared to have finally had her fill of playing.

She was now furiously rubbing herself against the side of the small wooden boat, as if marking it with her scent to claim it as her own.

Then, suddenly, she noticed the fire flaring up beneath the coconut tree. She froze for a moment before hurriedly jumping off the boat, dashing across the sand toward him.

Staring blankly at the flames, she blurted out, “Daoist priest, how did you light the fire by yourself?”

“I may not be as clever as you, but I am at least capable of starting a fire,” Song You replied with a hint of amusement.

“I know how to make a fire!”

“Of course.”

“This is my job.”

“I saw how immersed you were in your fun and didn’t have the heart to interrupt.” Song You chuckled, reaching out to stroke the head of the cat who had run up to him. “Did you enjoy yourself?”

“This place is so much fun!”

“Oh? Is that so?”

“There are so many little crabs! There’s no way to finish eating them all!” Lady Calico said seriously. “If I were a cat from this place, I’d come here every day. It’s fun, and I can eat my fill. I’d never go hungry!”

“These little crabs aren’t around all year.”

“Hm?” The cat immediately turned her head to stare at him.

“I’m just guessing...”

“Oh, that’s right. We won’t be staying here forever either,” the cat nodded, arriving at an answer from a different perspective.

She then fell into thoughtful silence, mumbling softly to herself, “Good thing I’m full. I will eat these again tomorrow.”

“Do they taste good?” Song You asked her gently.

“When I bite down, they try to pinch my mouth like bugs do,” the cat answered seriously. Then, she turned her head to glance at the swallow. “If only my mouth were hard too.”

“I see.”

“Daoist priest, do you want to eat some? I will go catch more for you.”

“It’s already dark.”

“I will dig them out for you.”

“I don’t want any.”

“You never want to eat...”

“Lady Calico, if you’re willing, how about picking a coconut for me instead?” Song You said as he tilted his head back.

“Coconut!”

Following his gaze, the cat looked up.

The tall, slender wild coconut tree had only a slight curve to its trunk. Leaves clustered at the very top, with no branches in between. Hanging from above were large, round fruits—each bigger than a human head.

“So these are coconuts.”

“Coconut water for boiling chicken?”

“It’s the water inside,” Song You explained. “This fruit holds a lot of water. You can drink it, or use it to make soup.”

𝚏𝕣𝕖𝚎𝚠𝚎𝚋𝚗𝐨𝐯𝕖𝕝.𝕔𝐨𝕞

“Okay...”

Lady Calico tilted her head back, sizing up the coconuts, her tone uncertain.

After all, cats weren’t exactly skilled at picking fruit. Especially when the fruit was bigger than the cat herself.

But uncertainty didn’t stop her. As soon as she finished speaking, she took two quick steps forward, leaped up effortlessly, and latched onto the trunk of the coconut tree. In one swift motion, she demonstrated strength far beyond that of an ordinary cat. Digging her claws deep into the bark, she climbed rapidly, her nimble paws moving like lightning.

In just a few moments, she had reached the very top.

“Daoist priest, catch...” Lady Calico struggled to dislodge a coconut, putting in a great deal of effort.

Unfortunately, by the time she spoke, the coconut had already fallen.

“...it!”

Thud...

The coconut landed near Song You, barely missing him before embedding itself deep in the sand.

“How many do you want?”

“One is enough.”

“Let’s get a few more and save them for later!”

Thud, thud, thud...

Several more coconuts came crashing down in rapid succession.

Lady Calico carefully climbed down the tree. The descent was far trickier than the climb, but given her immense abilities, it was hardly a challenge. Once she reached about ten feet from the ground, she simply leaped down, landing steadily—though all four of her small, cylindrical paws sank deep into the sand.

“Thank you, Lady Calico.”

“You’re welcome!”

“If you’re willing, could you use your little knife to poke a hole in the coconut for me?” Song You asked as if making a wish.

“Of course!” Lady Calico never refused a request.

Without hesitation, she transformed into her human form—small and delicate. Hugging a coconut that was thicker than her own waist, she held her Water-Splitting Blade in the other hand. She flipped the coconut around, inspecting it carefully, shaking it to listen to the water inside. Only after much deliberation did she finally make her move.

Apart from its ability to control water, the Water-Splitting Blade was also quite sharp, so cutting open a coconut wasn’t too difficult.

Soon, she handed it to him.

“Drink!”

“Thank you, Lady Calico.”

“You’re welcome!”

Song You lifted the coconut and took a deep gulp.

The taste was mild—far less fragrant and sweet than he had imagined.

Lady Calico sat nearby on the sand, legs slanted to the side, knife still in hand. She tilted her head back, watching him drink. Though her face remained expressionless, an immense sense of accomplishment swelled in her heart.

“Lady Calico, you can have one too.”

“There aren’t many left on the tree. You're a picky eater, and there’s a lot of food you don’t like, so I’ll just leave them for you to drink. I can just eat the little things from the sea.”

“Lady Calico, that is not quite correct,” Song You said, leaning against the coconut tree. The firelight flickered against his face as he gazed at the distant horizon, speaking to her in a leisurely tone. “This tree may not have many left, but there are countless more like it along this beach.”

“Hmm...” The little girl turned her head to look into the distance.

“Besides, you’ve yet to discover all the fun the seaside has to offer, and the ocean is rich with resources.”

“Hm?”

“At night, the tide will rise, and the waves will push many small sea creatures onto the shore. Some will make their way back, while others will remain on the beach or get trapped in the shallows. Early in the morning, many villagers will come to the shore to forage—looking for these creatures. There will be conches, fish... You can observe their techniques and search to your heart’s content.”

Song You’s voice was soft and steady as he continued, “With your skills, I imagine you’ll learn very quickly and gather far more than they do. And most of these things will taste much better than tiny crabs.”

His short explanation made Lady Calico’s eyes widen with excitement, a boundless longing rising in her heart.

“Then will you eat them?”

“If they suit my taste, I will.”

“If they suit your taste?”

“I eat most fish, shrimp, and crabs—except the very small ones. Some types of conches and clams as well.”

“Then I will go catch them tonight!”

“There’s no need to rush.”

“No need to rush?”

“The night is long—rest should be the priority.”

Song You sipped his coconut water as he gazed toward the horizon, feeling the sea breeze against his skin and listening to the rhythmic crashing of the waves. There was no roof above him, no tent sheltering him—just open sky and endless ocean. Talking with the cat, his body and mind were at ease, letting time slip by as it pleased.

“Rest should be the priority...” The little girl repeated his words.

Yet, she couldn’t resist turning her head to look at the sea.

By now, the sky had long darkened, with only the lingering afterglow of the sunset still painting the horizon. It was neither quite blue nor entirely purple, neither fully red nor purely pink—it blended and shifted without any clear boundaries.

The sea had already turned pitch black, the only movement coming from the gentle, endless waves rolling in with a rhythmic hush. Bathed in the soft glow of the firelight and the fading colors of dusk, the little girl slightly parted her lips, her bright eyes shimmering.

From this moment on, the world had gained a place that could almost rival the chaos of Lanmo County, where the rampant rat demons once reigned.