It Turns out that I am Beautiful, Strong and Miserable [Quick Wear] - 114

 

ITOTIABSAM | Interstellar Orcs | 114

Compared to humans, the strength of a cat is indeed limited. As a "punishment" for secretly removing the bandage, Xie Ye found himself being held in Gu Cong's arms and having a small section of his fur being tied.

Or rather, a little ponytail.

With his long and silky silver fur, even someone like Gu Cong, who had no experience, could manage it quite well.

The hair tie used was originally a small leather pouch used to seal food, very thin, ensuring that the tightness didn't cause any discomfort to the cat. Gu Cong released his hand and admired his handiwork:

"So cute."

Even the 1101 in his mind chimed in: "Super cute! It's like an apple!"

Having been in three or four small entertainment worlds, Xie Ye certainly knew what an apple shape was. He accurately estimated the length of his "arm" and decisively gave up struggling.

And as Xie Ye moved, the little ponytail on the back of the silver cat's head also swayed gently. Gu Cong was certain that the other party wasn't really angry, which was why he was able to playfully act this way.

After all, from the beginning until now, not even a scratch or a white mark from a scratch could be seen on him.

Feeling inexplicably indulged by a cat, Gu Cong lowered his head, affectionately rubbing his nose against Xie Ye's head, and took a deep breath.

Even the most aloof and serious cat owner couldn't resist the urge to cuddle with their cat. In Gu Cong's eyes, he was just shortening the process a bit—a perfectly normal behavior, nothing inappropriate.

But Xie Ye was a human.

The so-called "cuddling with a cat" felt almost like kissing him.

...There was no restraint at all. Did this person approach all animals so casually?

With a dissatisfied flick of his fluffy tail, Xie Ye jumped off the couch.

But Gu Cong didn't think at all about the aspect of "don't touch without permission." He thought Xie Ye was annoyed by his actions, so he didn't insist and instead wiped his hands clean before heading into the kitchen.

Skillfully retrieving a microwaveable meal from the refrigerator and heating it up, Gu Cong washed the chicken and fish he had bought. He boiled some of it and fried the rest with oil for his own meal.

Considering that cat food should be light, he specially chose deep-sea fish recommended by the supermarket's shopping robot. No additional seasoning or side dishes were needed, as the fish itself was naturally delicious.

Although it was a bit expensive, fortunately, he was currently quite skilled in making money. After cutting and plating the food like he did in the morning, Gu Cong called out to the living room, "Snowball."

Xie Ye: What a silly name.

But this body really gets hungry so easily.

Before he could finish his dilemma, the voice of the man came from the kitchen again, even softer than before: "Snowball?"

After the naming debacle earlier, Gu Cong was very sure that the other could distinguish between syllables, but was simply choosing not to respond to him.

With patience, he could easily bring Xie Ye in, but he kept calling out repeatedly, until the silver-white cat appeared silently by the door, using the chair to elegantly jump onto the dining table.

To be honest, Gu Cong would find it difficult to share a table with any other animal, even if it was a human-turned-animal. But the one in front of him was so clean that not a single hair was out of place throughout the entire meal.

After finishing eating, Xie Ye confidently lifted his head, his green eyes staring at him.

In a moment of spontaneous kindness, Gu Cong reached for a wet wipe, stretched his arm, and wiped the cat's mouth, then rubbed the sides of his little whiskers.

Uncontrollably, Xie Ye yawned.

Ordinary cats alternate between deep and light sleep, resting for about fifteen hours a day. Considering Xie Ye's narcolepsy, which consumed much of his energy during the day, now that he was full and relaxed, drowsiness swept over him.

After completing a few sets of strength training, Gu Cong washed the dishes, took a shower, and entered the bedroom. The light gray blanket was already gathered into a bundle, and the silver-white cat was sleeping soundly with closed eyes. However, it didn't directly touch his bed, only showing a small head, resting on its own pillow.

Subconsciously, he tiptoed around where the cat's tail might be, lifted the blanket, and got into bed.

Setting the virtual screen to the lowest brightness, Gu Cong still had some work to do. Although today's coverage of his new company in the media went smoothly, he still sensed something strange:

For example, the signing ceremony between Ark Technology and the federal government. It was said that his new boss valued this project extremely highly and was personally involved throughout, so it didn't make sense for him to send an assistant to represent him at the last moment.

Being in the same industry, Gu Cong had heard a few things about Mr. Xie, the head of the company. Rumors about him being a illegitimate child and breaking ties with his family had been widely reported by gossip media countless times, easily searchable on the star network.

The most crucial point was that the individual in question was not only the CEO but also the largest shareholder of Ark Technology. The entire company, inside and out, was founded single-handedly by him. If something were to happen to him, Gu Cong's new job would also be in jeopardy.

However, when he searched through the internal forum accessible only by employee IDs, not a single one of his colleagues discussed the absence of the boss this morning. Using keywords for searching, Gu Cong quickly scanned through several old posts and finally found some related clues.

[Topic: Boss was absent again today. Is he sick?]

[Content: Work is so dull, in desperate need of the boss's charm.]

[1L: Are you new here? The boss is absent for a few days almost every week. Just get used to it.]

[2L: Exactly, it's the annual post-recruitment season essential. Where does the boss go?]

[3L: The second year, I guessed he's working from home, because work has never been delayed.]

[4L: Makes sense, I agree.]

[5L: From my observation, the boss likes quiet and doesn't like to talk much. Maybe he finds crowded places too noisy, especially since the office area is not that big.]

[6L: But all the major projects of the company are brought in by him. Can he still have time for social gatherings if he's busy making deals?]

[7L: Wow, so young yet so powerful. Admirable!]

...

[12L: Actually, we can ask Anna.]

[13L: I dare not.]

[14L: I'm a coward.]

...

[23L: Big bro is right. Friendly reminder, even though the boss has never appeared, he definitely has an account. Do you think it's safe to hide "charm" in the content?]

[OP: Haha, such a boring title.]

[OP: Probably not, right?]

[OP: It's sinking soon.]

The chat ended there, with no further replies.

Five years had passed, and what was once Ark Technology with its "office area not that big" had now become a colossal entity occupying a whole building in the prime location of the capital city. The dinners that Xie Ye was qualified to attend had transformed into elegant banquets with an atmosphere of refinement.

However, the boss's habit of disappearing from time to time persisted.

Could it really be due to poor health?

Recalling the photos he had seen in the news, Gu Cong felt it was quite possible. After all, that cold, pale complexion seemed hardly human, more like snow or ice that would melt away in the sunlight.

But for him, as long as Ark Technology remained distant from bankruptcy in the short term, he would focus on his work and collect his paycheck. Who the boss was and what secrets he held didn't matter to him.

It didn't matter at all.

Normally, Gu Cong rarely worked overtime, but in a new company, there were always new tasks to handle and adapt to. By the time he shut down the computer, the old electronic clock on the bedside had already passed midnight.

After moving his stiff shoulders a bit, Gu Cong flattened the pillow behind him and was about to lie down to rest when he noticed the silver-white cat sleeping beside him, breathing becoming increasingly rapid.

It hurts.

It felt like the sensation when Xie Tianhua injected the new drug, the involuntary transformation, like being forcibly shoved into an animal form, bones being brutally broken.

Everyone had an animal form, but not everyone could evolve extraordinary abilities. The little one was just an ordinary cat, with all skill points skewed towards appearance. Surviving Xie Tianhua's repeated bullying relied on sheer willpower and resilience, not any extraordinary healing power.

Xie Ye was the same.

The residual drug in his body surged wildly, causing the cat on the pillow to curl up into a ball, limbs twitching.

Gu Cong hurriedly fetched the diagnostic device from the living room.

Once again posing as the diagnostic device, 1101 gently extended its probe, collected blood, and scanned:

"Beep, illegal drug residue detected."

"Should it be reported?"

With it around, no matter which hospital he went to, relevant data would be instantly wiped out, and doctors would only be able to detect the most obvious external injuries.

The reason for reminding Gu Cong at this moment was because it didn't want him to make another wasted trip.

Illegal drug residue?

Gu Cong paused for a moment. "Repeat the analysis."

As an advanced software engineer himself, Gu Cong didn't like being "monitored" by big data. He had modified the few pieces of smart furniture he owned, so 1101's inquiry didn't raise any suspicion from him.

"Repeat analysis... Repeat analysis complete..."

"Illegal drug residue detected. Should it be reported?"

Most illegal drugs would try to preserve specific animal features on the human body, but the ones in Xie Ye's body were quite the opposite. They were generally provided to certain special clients who wanted to watch "animal fights" or personally participate in hunting.

Xie Tianhua was one of them.

If reported, even though Xie Ye was just a cat, he would definitely be taken away for investigation by law enforcement agencies.

Guessing that the other party might be an experimental subject from some underground research institute, Gu Cong shook his head. "No."

"Is there any way to alleviate its symptoms?"

Even though he had taken the trouble to care for him, Gu Cong wouldn't casually send him away.

"None," replied 1101.

"The patient needs to metabolize it on their own."

That's how it was written in the original, and its conclusion was the same.

So, they just had to endure it?

Kicking away the blanket with his paws, the silver-white cat seemed unable to tolerate any extra weight, yet he was shivering, mistaking the other for being cold. Gu Cong steadied himself and, under the gaze of diagnostic tool 1101, along with his clothes, transformed into a black wolf.

With sharp canine teeth, amber beastly eyes, long and agile limbs, and sleek fur, he stood up, nearly ten times the size of the silver-white cat.

‘Wow, so handsome’ , remarked 1101.

But also terrifying.

Due to unpleasant experiences in his youth, Xie Ye's aversion to the aura of a ferocious beast far exceeded normal levels, reaching almost a level of trauma.

Xie Ye's consciousness slipped back into slumber, temporarily unable to suppress his body's instinct.

Soon, Gu Cong also realized this. After he transformed into his beast form, not only did the silver-white cat reveal his aircraft ears, but his tail also bristled with fur.

But contrary to 1101's expectations, he didn't revert back to his human form. Instead, he closed his eyes and focused. In the next moment, brilliant golden fur cascaded down from top to bottom, covering the darkness like flowing water. From appearance to aura, he completely transformed into a larger-than-average golden retriever.

Biomimicry, a skill with no combat capabilities, merely able to mimic similar body types.

With a light and silent leap onto the bed, Gu Cong bent his legs and lay down beside the cat. With a gentle and powerful sweep, his warm tail enclosed the cat in his embrace. "Don't be afraid," he reassured.

"Go to sleep."

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Author's Note:

Gu Cong: Who the boss is, doesn't matter, not at all.

Actually ends up transforming into an animal form to comfort the boss.