'Thank you.'
Ha, so cats could say thank you now.
Enduring the piercing pain in his head, Yang Qi reached out and rubbed Xiaojiu's head.
Then, he sucked in a sharp breath and pressed his temples, rubbing them gently.
'This Spirit Awakening Technique is cast using Spiritual Power, and the cost seems to be immense.'
'Casting it once felt like I hadn't slept for three days and three nights.'
"Meow?"
Seeing Yang Qi rubbing his head with a pained expression, Xiaojiu let out a soft cry.
'What's wrong?'
"I'm fine."
Yang Qi rubbed his temples and said casually, "I'll be fine after a little rest. You get some rest too."
"Meeow~"
'Okay.'
...
After half an hour of rest, the piercing headache from using the Spirit Awakening Technique finally faded, and he felt normal again.
Yang Qi let out a long breath, drank a glass of warm water, and felt his energy return. He went back to packing his luggage.
It was now past eleven at night, and the apartment complex was silent.
Yang Qi had just placed a box of packed clothes in the corner and was about to start on his books and miscellaneous items when the ajar door was suddenly pushed open with a CREAK.
A lean man in a black hood walked straight in. He kept his head and body low, reaching one hand for Yang Qi while his other slipped into his pocket. He growled in a hoarse voice,
"You dare steal my stuff? You're lookin' for—"
Halfway through his sentence, his actions and words came to an abrupt halt.
The man snapped his head up, revealing a pale, stubbled face under the hood.
His face was a mask of astonishment. His eyes darted around the room like a searchlight, scanning the stacked cardboard boxes, the open suitcase, the black cat that was arched and hissing at him, and finally, a dumbfounded Yang Qi.
'Shit!'
Before Yang Qi could ask anything, the man cursed under his breath. The fierce look on his face vanished instantly, replaced by a stiff apology.
"Sorry, wrong room. I live upstairs. My bad, really sorry about that..."
As he spoke, he backed out of the room, pulling the door shut behind him.
...
Yang Qi stood frozen for a long moment before he came to his senses. He shook his head, speechless, and muttered a complaint.
'How could he get the wrong room? Are the hallway layouts that different?'
He looked down at Xiaojiu in the cardboard box. The cat had clearly been startled too, and was slowly relaxing from its tense, defensive posture—fur on end, back arched. The hissing from its throat gave way to the cautious licking of its front paws.
"It's okay. It was just someone who went to the wrong door."
Yang Qi soothed Xiaojiu, then bent down to continue packing.
But his mind subconsciously replayed the hooded man's face, his eyes, and his slightly rushed tone.
'That guy... I feel like I've seen him somewhere before?'
Yang Qi muttered to himself as he packed, "Did I run into him in the hallway? Or maybe..."
'That's not it!'
Suddenly, Yang Qi froze. He put down the item in his hand and stood up straight.
He carefully recalled the hooded man's face, matching it with an image he remembered seeing.
The next moment, Yang Qi clapped his hands, rushed to his bed, opened his laptop, and quickly typed keywords into a search engine.
Soon, a wanted notice issued by the police popped up.
Looking at the distinctive photograph on the screen, Yang Qi let out a low gasp. He clenched his fists, unable to hide the look of delight on his face.
"That's right! It's him!"
The hooded man's name was Liu Honghui, a wanted fugitive!
A Class-A wanted notice had been issued for him just last month. He was from the neighboring province and had committed a familicide, murdering a family of three.
The reward was as high as 100,000 yuan!
Back then, it was Ye Haibing who had forwarded the notice in the Liudong Study Group chat, joking, "If you run into this guy, reporting him could let you live comfortably for half a year."
Yang Qi had also joined the discussion, which was why Liu Honghui's face was so deeply ingrained in his memory.
He never would have imagined that this vicious fugitive would have fled to Donghua City and be hiding right upstairs in this old, rundown building he was renting in!
And that he would barge into his room in such a dramatic fashion...
Wait!
'Was it really an accident?'
As a thought struck him, Yang Qi turned to look at Xiaojiu, who was obediently grooming itself. He recalled the system's notification about the Nine-Life Mysterious Cat—
Taming Xiaojiu can grant you a chance to receive good luck.
'So, Liu Honghui barging in wasn't a coincidence, but the good luck brought by Xiaojiu taking effect?'
The thought astonished Yang Qi. He couldn't help but walk over and gently stroke Xiaojiu, earning a questioning "Meow?" from the little guy.
'What's wrong?'
"Nothing. You can go back to resting."
Yang Qi grinned and offered a reassuring word.
'No time to lose!'
He quickly pulled out his phone and dialed the police.
Suppressing his excitement, Yang Qi tried his best to inform the operator in a clear and calm voice.
The wanted fugitive from the familicide case, Liu Honghui, was hiding in the room above him right now. He gave them the detailed address.
Hearing that it was a Class-A wanted criminal, the operator on the other end of the line immediately grew tense and repeatedly warned Yang Qi.
"Sir, please ensure your own safety. Lock your doors and windows, don't make any noise, and do not alert the suspect! Our officers are on their way and will be there shortly!"
After he hung up, the only sounds in the room were Yang Qi's own ragged breathing and Xiaojiu's faint purring.
A mix of excitement, anxiety, and a touch of lingering fear swirled within him, making it impossible for Yang Qi to sit still.
He pricked up his ears, listening nervously for any movement from upstairs.
About fifteen minutes later, the sound of hurried yet light footsteps came from the hallway outside.
Then—
BANG!!
A tremendous crash of a door being broken down erupted from overhead, shaking Yang Qi's own door in its frame.
This was followed by the sound of chaotic but heavy footsteps, a few short shouts and struggles, and a powerful, resonant roar.
"Cuff him!"
'They're here, they're here.'
Yang Qi immediately pressed himself against his door, heart pounding—THUMP-THUMP—and held his breath, listening intently.
The commotion upstairs quickly subsided, and a series of jumbled footsteps descended the stairs.
A moment later, there was a soft knock on his door, and a young woman's voice called from outside.
"Mr. Yang Qi?"
Yang Qi took a deep breath and carefully opened the door.
A uniformed policewoman stood outside. She looked sharp and capable, and when she saw Yang Qi, she gave him a reassuring and appreciative smile.
"Mr. Yang, hello. We've successfully apprehended the suspect. Thank you so much for your timely and courageous report!"
The weight on Yang Qi's chest finally lifted. He then asked, "Have you confirmed it's Liu Honghui?"
"We've confirmed it's him." The policewoman nodded affirmatively.
"That's great!" Yang Qi let out a long sigh of relief, feeling his whole body relax.
The policewoman smiled and added, "It's all thanks to you, Mr. Yang. Otherwise, we don't know how long it would have taken to find him."
After a brief pause, the policewoman asked curiously, "Mr. Yang, how did you find and recognize Liu Honghui?"