Cat 120: Building Rapport

Chapter 120: Building Rapport

Finding the dragon wasn’t the real challenge for Yan Jiyun—he could track it by scent alone. The hard part was, once he found it, how would he persuade it to help him?

He’d heard from Andonis and Daniel at the city gate that there were still dragons in the arena, but those would certainly be heavily guarded. It made more sense to look for the escaped one—he trusted Qi Feng and Chu Mo’s experience could get the other two out.

Yan Jiyun darted through streets and under shop awnings, racing toward the black dragon’s hiding place, the distinctive smell drawing steadily closer.

Given the dragon’s size, it would need a spacious place to rest.

Maybe it was a quirk of the game, but he was sure the dragon’s range was confined to Angel City. That made it clear: only by making contact with the dragon could he obtain the info card.

But if, in Western lore, dragons were the embodiment of evil, wouldn’t that make it suspicious and hard to approach?

Behind an abandoned house, Yan Jiyun finally spotted the black dragon—head down, happily devouring something. It had its back to him. Was that a succulent roast chicken?

The aroma triggered a sharp pang of hunger in Yan Jiyun’s belly.

No—he was here to bargain, not to beg for food.

He climbed onto the roof, slowly inching closer for a better look.

Up close, the big-bellied black dragon wasn’t as huge as he’d first thought—maybe with its wings folded, it didn’t seem the monster he’d seen from below. In fact, it looked a bit… comical.

He took in the details: pitch-black scales, reminiscent of his own fur, a body shape similar to a lion, bat-like wings, and no fur—just sun-glinting, shimmery scales. Four powerful limbs with wicked claws, a tail restless and happy as it swept at the ground, leaving gouged lines and patches of bald earth.

Right now, its forepaw pinned the roast chicken.

On the rooftop, Yan Jiyun’s stomach gave an ill-timed rumble.

The black dragon jerked its head up and looked right at the black cat crouched rooftop-level with it. All black, four-limbed, furry not scaly, wingless—clearly not kin. The dragon thought it might do well to keep a pet like this.

It reared up, extending a gleaming claw toward the cat.

Yan Jiyun didn’t mind being discovered; getting close to the dragon was exactly his goal. The dragon seemed more curious than wary.

It tossed over half the roast chicken to Yan Jiyun.

…

Even his stomach rumble hadn’t escaped the dragon. It really was a clever beast.

For trust’s sake, Yan Jiyun decided to risk tasting the chicken. He avoided the greasy skin, going instead for the breast and drumstick—delicious, and exactly what he needed.

He wondered if the dragon had roasted it itself—if so, this beast was far more valuable than expected.

After finishing his meal, Yan Jiyun licked his paw clean, then pushed some of the remaining chicken back toward the dragon, signaling: no waste.

Life was tough, thought the black cat with a sigh.

…

He walked a couple of circles around the roof, eyeing the dragon’s back. With no spiny ridges, it looked eminently rideable.

While he ate, the dragon had sized him up and determined the little creature wasn’t a threat—a swipe could squash it flat.

Yan Jiyun tried to leap onto the dragon’s back, but the dragon faced him, tracking his every move—left, right, always mirroring.

Both were pitch-black. If it weren’t daylight, they could sit eye-to-eye for hours and never be spotted.

The dragon, curious, reached out its claw to prod the cat, those talons sharp enough to rend him to shreds. Yan Jiyun quickly hopped back as it crept closer, then, when it seemed about to lose patience, boldly stretched his own paw to touch the dragon’s talon.

A cat’s velvet pad against a dragon’s rough, icy claw—gentle by comparison, and surprisingly cooling.

Wow, dragons are adorable—if only he could keep one as a pet.

Too realistic for a videogame creation.

He couldn’t help but pet it a little more.

The dragon leaned in to peer at him, their eyes now at the same level.

Yan Jiyun, emboldened, reached up to stroke the dragon’s head.

Both probed gently at the boundaries: the dragon took in the cat’s bright green eyes, his sleek, tempting fur.

It tried to touch him with its claw again; Yan Jiyun didn’t flinch but did keep a wary eye—he wasn’t healed up yet.

The dragon’s talon only brushed his fur, both startled to realize that cat’s fur was soft where its own scales were hard.

The dragon opened its mouth. “Aww~”

Yan Jiyun wasn’t sure what it meant, but at least it didn’t sound hostile.

His black-cat guise clearly worked.

Suddenly, just as things were warming up, the faint clash of armored guards came from the front yard.

Both he and the dragon’s ears shot up.

Andonis and Daniel were among the guards.

…

Andonis: “Someone saw Lucifer come into this yard, even stole a few turkeys.”

Daniel, exasperated: “That’s not the point—we followed the trail of blood here.”

Andonis, determined: “This time I swear I’ll tame that beast—ride it straight back to the arena.”

Daniel: “No one’s ever tamed a dragon.”

Andonis: “If not, I’ll be the first human to do it.”

Daniel: “You could try offering it roast chicken for trust, like you’d break a horse.”

Andonis: “Lucifer’s no horse—I’ll outlast it like a falconer.”

Daniel: “You’d better hope you last longer than it does.”

Andonis: “What, you think I can’t?”

Daniel: “Of course you can…” (sounding dubious)

Yan Jiyun withdrew his paw, ready to hide.

Suddenly the dragon tried to grab him, but Yan Jiyun was quicker, springing onto its back.

A ten-kilo cat versus a multi-ton dragon—no contest.

On solid ground, the dragon unfolded its massive wings.

A few majestic beats, and even Yan Jiyun felt the rush—the power of those wings was incredible.

Two strokes was all it took to lift off.

The ground fell away and Yan Jiyun’s vision soared—his heart in his throat.

He clung desperately to the dragon’s spiked, armored back, praying the scales wouldn’t come loose; plucking them must be as painful as losing a handful of cat fur.

At first, the dragon didn’t climb high, and just then, Andonis and Daniel flung a grappling hook, trying to snag the dragon.

But the dragon was no fool; understanding the ploy, it easily twisted aside.

The dragon could handle it—but Yan Jiyun was another matter!

Shit!

He felt his body tilting, about to slip right off—

Ahhh! There was no safety harness, nothing to keep him on! He clutched with all four paws, claws fully extended in panic, anchoring into the dragon’s scales—no way was he letting go.

His courage totally failed. Others tried freefall rides with restraints—he didn’t even have the simplest strap!

Below, Andonis shouted for stones to be thrown: “I won’t rest until I’ve got that dragon back! Bring it down for me!”

Daniel: “Lucifer’s so high, stones won’t do anything.”

Andonis, undeterred: “You never know, maybe a rock will hit its eye and bring it down.”

Yan Jiyun wanted to yell down, “Throw rocks, will you? The dragon won’t fall, but I just might!”

Daniel caught sight through a spyglass: “Looks like there’s something black on Lucifer’s back.”

Andonis snatched the glass: “Where? I don’t see anything!”

Daniel: “It’s too high now. Anyway, save your energy; Lucifer can’t hide for long, it’s too big. We’ll just wait.”

Andonis: “You’re too negative.”

Daniel: “Just realistic. None of us can fly—we’ll never catch Lucifer.”

On the ground, they quarreled, but Yan Jiyun had no time to care. He soared ever higher.

At the start of the tournament he’d jumped from above, but being carried upward was different—overwhelming, terrifying. No horror game could compare to the dread of hanging unprotected in the sky, any slip a fatal fall.

He let out a yowl.

The dragon noticed, hesitated in midair, then banked away.

Without anything being hurled at it, Lucifer flew more levelly, heading for a church roof. Luckily, the building was sturdy enough to support its bulk.

When they landed, Yan Jiyun leaped off at once, meaning to direct the dragon.

But being so short as a cat, he couldn’t communicate properly. Confirming they were alone, he used his experience card, turning human before the dragon’s eyes.

Lucifer: “…”

It had apparently never seen a black cat turn into a human right in front of it. The dragon stepped back, wary, mouth gaping—maybe about to breathe fire?

Yan Jiyun raised his hands defensively. “Wait, Lucifer, don’t roast me!”

Lucifer: …A black-haired, black-eyed human?

From the dragon’s gaze, Yan Jiyun sensed it could understand him: “Save your fire for the chicken, not my pretty face, okay?”

Lucifer wasn’t interested in human words; it scanned the rooftop for that little black shadow.

His experience card had five minutes left—he couldn’t turn back into a cat just yet to prove he was the same one who’d shared chicken with the dragon.

So he gestured: “Me,” then, “Meow—get it? We’re together. I’m not here to catch you.”

He held out his hand, “Smell me—see, I still have your scent on me.”

Lucifer, after a few seconds, leaned down and sniffed—indeed, his own scent lingered. Still, how had that black cat become a human? Magic?

Yan Jiyun waited for Lucifer to adjust; this would take time. He sat cross-legged, pensive: he’d wasted so much time escaping the arena; in a few more minutes, Qi Feng would be dragged out to fight another round. Hopefully he and Chu Mo would be fine—they were veterans, after all.

According to Qi Feng, three bouts in the arena earned the info card; but no one had ever succeeded, proof of the challenge—or maybe everyone was missing the real answer.

Yan Jiyun looked at Lucifer. Winning a horse race gave the card, but with the dragon, there was no contest to win. What, then? He had a sudden flash.

The Dragon Gate encompassed all of Angel City, which suggested the player’s scope was equivalent to the dragon’s.

The dragons couldn’t leave Angel City, kept forever penned up by humans.

“Lucifer, would you like to leave here, to return to your dragon kin’s home?”

Lucifer lifted a wing and tapped Yan Jiyun—at last confirming he was the same black cat. No one else would fit, and it had just watched the cat become human.

Lucifer’s eyes showed confusion, but not hostility. This human carried no shackles or chains, threw no rocks, and had no intent to tame—it was peaceable.

It wasn’t the dragon that was inherently suspicious and wicked; it was humans who always treated it as an enemy.

Yan Jiyun considered: picking Chasing Wind in the stables and winning had turned the horse into a card, its spirit fulfilled. Maybe Lucifer needed to be happy to become one, too?

The game hadn’t set a puzzle to solve here in the city, maybe because the arena offered a more violent solution: probably, most simple players would fight the dragon in round three and, if victorious, get the reward and leave.

But his approach was different—he’d come to Angel City by another path. Did that mean a different method for earning the info card?

Curious—why was his route unique?

Could it be that Devil’s Forest and Angel City were a shared map?

Of the twelve doors, he’d only entered four. Besides the Horse and Dragon Gates, which shared a setting, the others might each have their own.

The Rat Gate and Tiger Gate were definitely distinct—independent maps.

A revelation struck him: the twelve zodiac signs must indicate the code order—they only needed to find the logical links from one gate to the next.

Perhaps only by traversing all the gates could one learn the final secret.

No wonder the games themselves seemed repetitious—the real message was about the order.

With three minutes left on his experience card, he finally saw the light, and had to share it with Qi Feng.

If he ran out of time, he’d be stuck in cat form, dependent on Qi Feng to get him out of the tournament.

Lucifer watched as this human went silent, sometimes thumping his own leg, unsure if the fellow meant to tame him or not.

Say something, black cat!

Just as Yan Jiyun looked up, Lucifer swept a wing at him, catching him off guard and sending him sprawling.

“Lucifer, what’d you do that for?”

He realized it—the dragon, long hounded, was unhappy about being ignored.

Ha! He could handle this.

It was no mystery—the dragon had never really regarded him as human.

That’s why he’d approached in cat form; every creature, human or animal, drew its first impressions from that initial image.

If the first form you saw was a cat, you’d treat it as a cat. If a person, then even if it turned cat, you’d suspect a human trick.

Better to reveal the truth up front and let the dragon form its own judgment.

For once, he had to admit—he was cunning.

Lucifer gently batted him with another wing—wings broad and heavy, nearly knocking him over again.

“If you keep that up I’ll cough blood and die—cats are fragile creatures!”

As the card expired, Yan Jiyun transformed back into a cat, posturing dramatically, claws out.

“Meow-wow!”

Lucifer’s wings couldn’t swat him, so it lowered its head and bumped him.

As if summoned, Yan Jiyun leapt onto the dragon’s brow, played at being a tyrant, then hopped to its back, then onto those wings, light as a feather.

From this, Lucifer knew: the black cat was having fun.

To build rapport, Yan Jiyun went all-out with the act; he was, indeed, a sly human—he could hardly stand himself.

Just as one dragon and one cat were hitting it off, the sound of hooves echoed from below the church.

High up, Yan Jiyun saw Andonis, absolutely determined to subdue Lucifer, climbing after with Daniel at his side—inseparable companions, it seemed.

Lucifer tensed, the fun over.

Now was his chance—Yan Jiyun used his experience card again. “Lucifer, how about breathing a little fire?”

Lucifer caught his meaning and spat a fireball at Yan Jiyun’s feet.

Yan Jiyun took a step back. “You trying to roast me? Still, not bad—let’s go save your friends and torch the arena while we’re at it.”

That was exactly to Lucifer’s taste—he exposed his back, inviting Yan Jiyun aboard.

No hesitation, Yan Jiyun leapt up.

Just as Andonis stormed up the stairs, Lucifer’s wings beat powerfully and he lifted off, leaving Andonis behind.

Yan Jiyun gripped Lucifer’s neck, the city sprawling below—a medieval beauty, but sated with blood and cruelty.

“Lucifer, to the arena!”

Lucifer: …

[Want to Be Human] Livestream:

“Shit! First-person view—this is even cooler than horseback! Thrilling!”

“Wuwuwu, the kitten is unstoppable. Is there any beast he can’t ride? First a dragon—what could ever top this?!”

“When he was thinking back there, did he finally figure out the secret?”

“Wait, isn’t this all just mini-games? I was about to fall asleep, and now there’s a key point? What is it?”

“The key point is—the zodiac order is the code sequence for the tournament. I saw some top players on the forum are already analyzing this.”

“Some had guessed it, but the kitten’s not slow, either.”

“Yeah, but the real issue now—if he doesn’t get to the arena soon, our Level 4 and Level 5 streamers are gonna get chopped up.”

“They’re bigshots, aren’t they? I guess they trust the kitten to show up and meet them after all.”

Now Lucifer was gliding toward the arena, Yan Jiyun perched on his back.

On the arena stage, a player struggled with an enraged lion, their arm a ragged mess, while the crowd roared approval.

Yan Jiyun patted Lucifer’s neck. “Lucifer, fireball—aim for the VIP box!”

It was the dignitaries’ area; better to disrupt everything than just help one player. Once chaos broke out, the guards would have less time to hassle them.

Fireballs rained down from above, striking tents and the wooden structures of the arena—igniting chaos everywhere.

Guards hoisted a giant net, ready to cast it, but Yan Jiyun was faster. “Lucifer, up—dodge the net!”

On command, Lucifer zigged and zagged, dodging the thrown nets with ease.

“Lucifer, keep firing!”

But Yan Jiyun soon realized Lucifer’s fireballs weren’t enough to torch the entire arena, and they were still vulnerable to the guards’ spears.

The guards, getting smarter, now hurled the spears directly at Yan Jiyun.

Only narrowly did he dodge—close calls, each one.

Weren’t Qi Feng and Chu Mo rescuing the other dragons below? Wasn’t this their moment?

Yan Jiyun could barely hold out—he drew a deep breath, then shouted at the top of his lungs, “Qi Feng—Qi Feng—help!”