Chapter 194 â Cat Dad and K-Drama
After calming Mary down, Xiaomao guided her to the entrance of the newly created dungeon.
âThis is your new house, munya!â
ââ¦â Mary blankly stared at the house. However, the womanâs mind had already gone to Narnia, not listening to Xiaomao anymore.
âUm, hello? Houston to Earth?â
ââ¦â
âHaiyaâ¦â
Xiaomao hopped on Maryâs shoulder. He lightly slapped her face with his tentacle.
PA
Mary.exe had stopped responding. She didnât react.
Xiaomao scratched his head. He then glanced at her tender lips and the slightly-opened mouth.
Suddenly, Xiaomao had a silly idea. He didnât know if he was infected by Luckyâs perversion, but he believed that one of his stupid skills could be useful in this situation.
Xiaomao carefully aimed one of his tentacles, pointing at her mouth.
Thenâ¦
TENTACLE PENETRATION!
A few minutes later, Mary hysterically coughed as if she was gasping for breath. She was on her knees, staring at the obnoxious catopus in front of her.
âWhy did you have to stick your tentacle in my mouth?! I was almost out of breath!â
âYou didnât respond to me, munya. I thought something possessed you.â
âI was just daydreaming!â
Although Mary managed to spit out Xiaomaoâs tentacle, she felt humiliated. As for Xiaomao, he cleaned his tentacle with water magic, but he couldnât stop licking his mouth and rubbing the tentacle that he had just used.
âI should try this technique on Lucky later⦠Dammit! I shouldnât be addicted to THAT! I have a lot of work to do!â
After both Mary and Xiaomao regained their composure, they resumed negotiating.
âSo⦠AHEM, would you work for me, munya?â
Mary wiped her mouth with the sleeve of her cloth. She looked around and pursed her lips.
âOkay.â
âSo⦠Yay?â
âLet me confirm the employeeâs benefits; Tax-free, a rent-free house, 100,000 gold coins a month, a mermaid essence core, and my family can move in with me. In exchange, I work as your secretary. Is that correct?â
Xiaomao was taken aback. He didnât promise Mary that he would give her a mermaid essence core.
Fortunately, while Xiaomao was confused, Nymph entered the new dungeon floor and found them. She also overheard their conversation.
Seeing the expression of Xiaomao, Nymph clarified.
âI told her that she could become a mermaid if she consumed a mermaid essence core. I guess she wants to become a mermaid now.â
Xiaomao had a headache. He only wanted an honest worker to look after his cats and his guildâs affair. Still, he still had hope.
âCan you give one to her, munya?â
âThat might be impossible. After all, a mermaid essence core is a crystalized life essence of a mermaid. We have to shave about 100 years of lifespan to create one, and not many mermaids want to sell their lifespan for money.â
âO-Ohâ¦â
When Mary heard that a mermaid had to lose its lifespan to create an essence core, she was dejected.
âNever mind, then,â Mary sighed.
âBut, itâs not like you can only get it from a mermaid.â
Mary was interested, âHow do I get one, senior. Please tell me!â
Nymph coughed and glanced at Xiaomao, âDeep in the ocean, there is a warp gate that links to an underwater crystalized mine dungeon. There is a mineral in there that has the same properties as the mermaid essence core. You can mutate into a mermaid if you can get one.â
Xiaomaoâs eyes met with Nymphâs. He understood her gesture.
But the next moment, Nymph dropped them with cold water, shutting down their hope and dream.
âBy the way, that dungeon is infested with level-250 sea monsters. Kitty, you canât go in there alone and hope to come out unharmed. Youâre too weak.â
Hearing that the monsterâs average level was only 250, Xiaomao smirked.
âYou underestimate my power, munya!â
âI know what youâre thinking, but Lightning magic doesnât work there. Youâll end up electrocuting yourself if you use that. Also, fire magic doesnât work underwater.â
âErr, whoops.â
Xiaomao facepalmed. As both Lightning and Fire Element Magic were his main attacks, he had to come up with an alternative way to explore the water dungeon.
Since Xiaomao couldnât get Mary to become a mermaid now, he sighed and told her.
âI can agree to all conditions except the mermaid essence core, munya. Until Iâm stronger, that mutation thingy will have to be postponed for another time.â
Mary bitterly smiled. She calmed down and patted the kitty.
âItâs okay. Having a new job is good enough for me. Sorry that I was too greedy.â
The deal was settled. Mary officially joined Xiaomaoâs guild.
DING
As promised, Xiaomao transformed into a human and brought Mary to her old home to fetch her kids.
During the trip, Mary gazed at Xiaomaoâs youthful face and golden pupils.
âYouâre kinda handsome.â
â⦠Thanks.â
Even though Xiaomao had decades of experience with women, he still blushed when he was praised.
âWhich one is the real you? The cat form or this one?â
âBoth.â
As Xiaomao didnât want to complicate their relationship, he built a mental wall and prevented himself from extending the conversation. He also took another mental note that he needed to get a ring on his ring finger soon to scare away thirsty women and mermaids ASAP.
Soon, Xiaomao returned to Venea and found Maryâs house.
The wooden house was not maintained very well. Patched walls and roof were rough, and cold wind leaked into the house.
Inside the house, there was a little dug area in the middle like an ancient Japanese house, where the locals put a campfire and a cooking pot there.
Todayâs weather was not that chilly. However, children were still sensitive to temperature changes. The two kids in thick clothes and blankets sat in front of the bonfire.
Mary was a single mother. Her husband was killed by a monster, and she had no choice but to raise her children alone. Her first son was 5 years old, and the daughter was three. Both kids resembled their mother as they inherited her eyes, mouth, nose, and wavy hair.
Next to the children, an old lady had been reading a book to them. She had a disfigured face, hunched back, and blistered skin as if she was infected by a deadly disease.
âIâm home, kids,â Mary rushed to the children.
âMama!â
The two kids jumped out of their blankets and hugged their mother. The old lady also stood up.
âYouâre home earlier than usual. Do you still need me here, today?â
âNo, big mama,â Mary bit her lower lips and gave the old lady 100 gold coins. âYou donât have to come tomorrow. Iâll be moving out.â
âOh, really? Well, Iâm fired, then.â
âYes, youâre fired.â
âWhat about the rent this month? You havenât paid it yet.â
Xiaomao had been listening to the sideline. Upon hearing that the old lady asked for the rent, he figured out their relationship.
That old lady was the houseâs owner, and she had also been working as a babysitter for Mary. Still, both women didnât seem to like each other much.
Mary gritted her teeth, but she didnât say anything. She glanced at Xiaomao.
Xiaomao raised his brows at first. Then, he caught the hint. Since Mary was released from her duty without severance pay, she didnât have enough money for the rent.
As a gentleman and Maryâs new boss, he added himself to the conversation.
âHow much is she owing you?â
The old lazy sized-up Xiaomao. Then, she scoffed, âA total of three monthsâ worth! Including the interests, that will be 60,000 gold coins!â
Mary suddenly bellowed, âHEY! The rent is 10,000 a month! How come it is 60,000?!â
âAs I said, INCLUDING THE INTERESTS.â
âYou⦠scammer!â
âThis is how the world works, woman. Now, pay up or Iâll sell your kids to the empire!â
Xiaomao shook his head. He brought out six gold coins, worth 10,000 a piece, and dropped them to the ground in front of the old lady.
âThere you have it. 60,000 gold coins, right?â
The old lady sneered. She shamelessly collected the gold coins on the ground, âThatâs more like it. Now, get out of my house.â
Mary glared at the old lady and spat at her feet. She carried her daughter in her arms and pulled the little hand of her son.
âBoss, could you bring that crate and the blankets with you? Thatâs my belongings.â
âOkay,â Xiaomao nodded.
âHold it, fellas! That crate is mine. All content inside is also mine! I also bought the blankets for the kids, so theyâre technically mine as well!â
âYOU SKUNK!â Mary lost it. She had the urge to murder this evil lady.
Xiaomao extended his arm and got in front of Mary, âWe have a better place to live. Letâs leave.â
ââ¦â
Mary grudgingly glared at the old witch while the latter laughed at her.
âGo. Go with your young lover, foolish bitch! You should have thanked me that I let you live in my house for only 10,000 gold coins a month!â
Mary didnât bother listening to the old lady anymore. She turned around and stomped out of the half-broken house in anger.
Xiaomao glanced at the old lady and looked at her name.
Margaret, the Pangu Cultist, Level 275
âPangu cultist? Interesting.â
Xiaomao scoffed and exited the house. The old lady also sneered at Xiaomao, âLoser.â
When Xiaomao and Mary left the house, the latter was on the verge of crying.
âThat house was supposed to be my house.â
âWhat happened?â Asked Xiaomao.
âThat woman is my mother-in-law.â
âWhere is your other family? What about your parents or our old house?â
âThat was actually my house. My parents died when I was young, and I ran out of money, so I sold this house to someone else. Coincidentally, the one who bought the house ended up becoming my husband, and he invited me to move in. We had a family andâ¦â
Xiaomaoâs expression turned stiff. It seemed that this family had some sort of K-Drama scenario going on, which was not his forte.
It was not hard to guess what happened in this family. After Maryâs husband died, these two women might have fought a lot. However, for the sake of the kids, Mary remained there.
Then, Mary dropped a bomb.
âOne day, she joined a cult and tried to trick everybody to become a cultist as well. I and my husband Daniel refused. A week later, Daniel was dispatched to get rid of a roaming monster and was killed. I donât have proof, but there was no monster. He was killed by the cultists!â
Mary stopped talking.
That was enough information. Xiaomao didnât need to hear anything else.
He silently flew the family back to his dungeon.
But after Xiaomao left Mary and her kids to settle down, he returned to Venea as a catopus.
Hovering above the house, Xiaomao brought out his staff. He thought of the old witch.
âYour house? Right, if you said so. Because itâs made of old wood, it would have been a shame if it suddenly⦠MU-NYA-NYA!â