But Li Yuheng and Shu Bai did not stop.
They command the animals they can influence, forming an invisible net that monitors every corner of the street.
Sparrows and crows became the best eyes and ears, keeping watch from high places and immediately sending out signals once they spotted suspicious people or unusual behavior.
The cats and dogs relay messages to each other, avoid traps, and carry out organized interference when necessary.
Li Yuheng even took advantage of his identity as a dog, deliberately acting docile and harmless in front of the staff on several occasions.
They even wagged their tails at a few people who seemed to be in charge, trying to overturn some stereotypes.
Of course, all of this was done in places where Shu Bai couldn't see it.
He didn't want to be mocked by that stinky cat for begging for mercy.
Shu Bai then used his agility and stealth as a cat to sneak into the apartment buildings where the complainants lived on multiple occasions, eavesdropping on their conversations in an attempt to find evidence of their connection with remnants of the cat abuse organization.
Hard work pays off.
One late night, Shu Bai squatted on the air conditioner unit outside a building and clearly heard a conversation between a man and a woman inside the room.
"...They said that if we do this a few more times, once public opinion picks up and the urban management officers are under pressure, they'll definitely launch a major crackdown...At that time, at least half the cats and dogs in that area will be gone..."
"Where's the money? We agreed to settle it after this."
"What's the rush? Once it's all done... don't worry, you'll get your share. Just keep complaining, make it sound serious, preferably say your child was so frightened they became ill..."
Shu Bai left quietly, bringing the news to Li Yuheng.
"We found the rat's tail."
A cold glint flashed in Li Yuheng's eyes: "Address."
…
After receiving the address, Li Yuheng did not hesitate.
He used his ghostly power again.
This time, it's not a small-scale operation.
He directly sent the clear recording, along with the couple's address information and records of their previous false complaints, to the private communication device of the relevant management department head in an untraceable manner.
After doing all this, he returned to the meeting point he had agreed to meet with Shu Bai.
Shu Bai was already waiting there. When she saw him return, she raised her eyes and asked, "Is it resolved?"
"Hmm." Li Yuheng lay down. "Let's wait and see the show."
The following afternoon, the couple was taken away from their home for questioning by investigators.
Meanwhile, the large-scale cleanup of stray animals on the streets came to an abrupt halt.
Fewer people in different uniforms came, and their attitude softened considerably.
Instead, community workers began posting posters on bulletin boards promoting the scientific treatment of stray animals and publishing contact information for several officially partnered stray animal rescue organizations.
The tense atmosphere that had permeated the streets gradually dissipated.
As the sun sets, it paints the discarded tires with a warm orange hue.
Li Yuheng and Shu Bai lay side by side on the highest point of the pile of tires, watching the street below gradually return to calm.
Several kittens were chasing and playing in the open space, while the yellow dog that had been caught earlier was sharing a meaty bone with another spotted dog that they had found somewhere.
“Ugh,” Li Yuheng looked at the meaty bone with a hint of disgust, “What’s so good about that thing?”
Shu Bai didn't reply, but just watched quietly.
After a while, he finally spoke:
"Thanks this time."
Li Yuheng was stunned for a moment, and his ears perked up instinctively.
He turned to look at Shu Bai, but Shu Bai was still looking straight ahead, her profile somewhat blurred in the setting sun.
Li Yuheng twitched the corners of his mouth, wanting to say something sarcastic, such as "So you can speak human language after all," or "What are you thanking me for? I didn't do this for you."
But the words stuck in his throat.
Looking at Shu Bai's slightly awkward yet gentle profile, the wicked thought in his mind inexplicably dissipated.
Finally, he simply snorted in response.
Then, he turned his head and, together with Shu Bai, silently watched the street bathed in the setting sun.
The yellow dog below gnawed on a bone for a couple of minutes, then looked up and saw the two sworn enemies lying peacefully together on top of the pile of tires. It couldn't resist touching the spotted dog next to it with its paw.
"Hey, look at those two up there," the yellow dog said in a low voice, gesturing towards the pile of tires. "Did the sun rise in the west today? They didn't even argue or fight."
Hearing this, the dog looked up, a hint of surprise on its face: "It really is. It seems like they haven't been fighting much lately? Last time I saw them across the street, they just glared at each other a few times and then went their separate ways."
The yellow dog wagged its tail, its tone laced with amusement and a hint of mischief: "What, have you developed feelings for each other after fighting? You became friends after a fight?"
Their conversation was not loud, but it floated up clearly in the quiet evening.
Li Yuheng's ears immediately turned to the source of the sound, and a forced smile appeared on his face.
"Oh, so it was you two gossiping behind my back. What, can't even a bone shut you up?"
Shu Bai didn't even bother to lift her eyelids, coldly tossing out a sentence: "Feelings? Compared to the two of you who only know how to lick each other's asses when you get together, we're just keeping a safe distance."
The yellow dog choked, and the spotted dog tried to smooth things over: "We were just saying it casually..."
"Just something offhand?" Li Yuheng scoffed. "I think your brains just flowed out along with your saliva. Should I carve what you just said onto your bones so you can review it next time you're gnawing on something?"
The spotted dog shrank its neck, not daring to say another word.
Shu Bai finally deigned to glance at them: "Go away and gnaw away."
The two dogs, thoroughly humiliated, reluctantly picked up their bones and scurried away.
The world has returned to peace.
Out of boredom, Li Yuheng rubbed his front paws against the rough tire rubber.
He stared at his paws, the slight pleasure he felt from arguing with the dog quickly dissipating, leaving only an empty and disoriented feeling.
The matter was resolved, the enemy temporarily retreated, but they were unsure of what to do next.
Just then, he caught a glimpse of Shu Bai moving beside him out of the corner of his eye.
Shu Bai seemed to hesitate for a moment, then slowly sat up straight in a slightly stiff posture and cleared his throat somewhat unnaturally.
Li Yuheng stopped sharpening his claws and turned his head in confusion.
Then he saw Shu Bai awkwardly extend one of its front paws toward him.
The claw hovered in mid-air, its nails retracted perfectly, revealing pink paw pads.
“…Hey,” Shu Bai’s voice was slightly tense, and her eyes were unfocused, avoiding his gaze. “This time…I’ll consider it an obligation I owe you.”
He paused, as if making some kind of decision, before squeezing out the rest of his words:
"Let's...be friends."
Li Yuheng: "!?!"
oh?
He stared at Shu Bai's cat paw still hanging in mid-air, then looked at Shu Bai's face, which was trying to remain calm but couldn't hide a hint of awkwardness.
Oh~
Li Yuheng sat up straight with an air of composure, cleared his throat, and slowly raised his right forepaw.
The dog's paw hovered in mid-air, approaching the sparse white cat's paw, and they were about to touch.
Just a second before the flesh pads were about to make contact, Li Yuheng suddenly stopped.
His paw just hovered there, seemingly about to strike but not quite.
Shu Bai looked at his sudden pause and a hint of doubt flashed in her eyes.
The dangling claws were awkward to retract, yet also awkward to keep outstretched, creating an even more embarrassing situation.
Li Yuheng put on a thoughtful expression, quickly withdrew his claws, and spoke in an extremely irritating tone:
"Hiss—wait a minute. Something's not right."
He tilted his head and looked at Shu Bai.
"You want me to make friends, so I have to make friends? How embarrassing would that be?"
“Besides,” Li Yuheng brought up old grievances, “I remember it clearly. The first time we met, I was so enthusiastic and friendly when I said to you, ‘Let’s be friends,’ but you completely ignored me and turned around and left.”
"Why didn't you think about making friends back then? Hmm?"
He leaned forward, his face full of mockery:
"Now that you see I'm capable, reliable, and can do big things with you, you've remembered this?"
“You idiot, you idiot,” Li Yuheng shook his head, his tone full of earnestness, “Your scheme is so cunning, I could hear it even in the underworld.”
"If I just agree like that, wouldn't it make me seem like I'm spoiling you too much?"
Shu Bai's face darkened as he spoke, and the claws that had been hovering in mid-air slowly retracted.
Seeing this, Li Yuheng was even happier, but he forced himself not to laugh out loud.
"How about this, to show your sincerity, and to make you realize how serious and solemn making friends is..."
"Next time. If you say it again next time, I'll agree."
Shu Bai: "…………"
A few seconds later, he abruptly turned around, leaving Li Yuheng with only a murderous back view and a sentence squeezed out from between his teeth:
"...Go to hell, you stupid dog."
Then, without looking back, he jumped off the pile of tires and disappeared into the twilight.
Li Yuheng looked in the direction where Shu Bai disappeared and finally couldn't help but burst out laughing.
The laughter grew louder and louder, until finally they started rolling around on the tires.
"Hahaha...this stinky cat...hahaha...this is so funny..."
He wasn't worried at all that Shu Bai would stop talking to him because of this.
On the contrary, he could almost foresee that the next time they met, this hot-tempered cat would repay him for today's teasing with double the venom and claws.
But so what?
That's what makes it interesting.
What's interesting about a friendship that's as bland as water?
He has plenty of those ordinary, unassuming friends.
That's how it's supposed to be—you scratch me, I bite you, we can't stand each other but can't shake each other off.
Amidst the bickering and fighting, they inexplicably ended up claiming each other's territory.
Li Yuheng licked his nose, feeling more relaxed than ever before.
He was already looking forward to his next match with Shu Bai.
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