I was just fishing, how did I become a Great Old One?

The surface of the Skai River is as calm as a mirror, reflecting the ever-vibrant and colorful sky of the dreamland.

The Black Pearl retracted its anti-gravity engine (to save fuel, and because the river was too narrow to fly), and like a giant black swan, it drifted downstream.

Inside the cabin, the pot of "Spicy Tentacle Rat" (Zoug) had been devoured by everyone, even the bones had been chewed up and swallowed by Dahuang. At this moment, the crew members were all sprawled on the deck, rubbing their round bellies, enjoying the pleasant time after the meal.

"belch--"

Wang Ergou let out a satisfied burp filled with the aroma of wild game, picked his teeth, and said, "Boss, the food in this dream is really something else. I feel incredibly energetic after eating it. I even want to go back and memorize those few cult classics I haven't finished memorizing."

"Absolutely, it's high in protein."

Jiang Li sat in the VIP seat at the bow of the ship (a coral armchair brought from the Dragon Palace), stroking the awkward-looking "Moon Beast Jade Rabbit" in his hand.

"Little Black, how much longer until we reach Cat City?"

Little Black (the incarnation of the cat goddess), who was squatting on the ship's side, had mixed feelings.

On the one hand, it had just enjoyed a delicious meal of Zugu meat and was in a good mood; on the other hand, as it got closer to its hometown, the guilt of "inviting the wolf into the house" grew stronger.

"Meow..." (Almost there, just around the corner, that's Uva.)

Little Black raised its paw and pointed ahead.

Ahead of the river, a flat, open area appeared. A quaint, tranquil, and idyllic town sat on the riverbank.

The houses there are mostly low wooden cabins with red tiled roofs, and the streets are clean and lush with flowers and plants.

At first glance, it looks like an ordinary medieval European town.

But if you look closely, you'll notice something unusual here.

Cats are everywhere—on rooftops, on walls, on streets, even in the treetops!

Black, white, orange, spotted... thousands of cats lazily basked in the sun or chased and played. Among these cats, occasionally a few humans could be seen hurrying by, walking carefully, as if afraid of stepping on the tail of some "master".

This is Ulthar.

In this city, there is an absolute, ironclad rule: **No one can kill a cat.**

"Wow! Goodness!"

Jiang Li stood up and looked at the spectacular "sea of ​​cats" in front of him, his eyes shining.

"This is too much! It's practically a cat lover's paradise!"

He glanced back at the people on the boat.

"Listen up, all of you! Once we're in town, tone down that menacing aura! We're here to discuss business, to investigate 'cat cafes,' not to fight!"

"Especially you, Big Yellow!"

Jiang Li pointed at Big Yellow, who was drooling over the group of cats.

"Shut your mouth! Put your sunglasses on! If you dare scare the female cats here, I'll take your bones for a month!"

Big Yellow: "Woof woof..." (Okay, I'm a gentleman dog.)

It reluctantly put on those oversized sunglasses, concealing its ferocious eyes.

……

The Black Pearl has docked.

The arrival of such a huge black ship, exuding an eerie aura (mainly the smell of dried salted fish and roasted meat hanging on its bow), instantly attracted the attention of the residents of Uva City—mainly the cats.

"Meow?" (What's that? It smells so fishy!)

"Meow!" (It's a stranger! Looks like someone you don't want to mess with!)

Countless cats gathered from all directions, squatting on the dock and scrutinizing the uninvited guests.

Leading the way was a large, gray-and-white old cat. It was the "elder cat" of this area, with sharp eyes and a dignified air.

Jiang Li led everyone off the ship.

"Hello, fellow cats! Have you eaten yet?"

Jiang Li greeted him with a smile, trying to break the ice using human social etiquette.

However, the cats didn't buy it.

They sensed the intense, bloody stench emanating from this group, a scent that suggested they had slaughtered countless monsters. Especially the burly man carrying the black pot (Lei Meng) and the yellow dog wearing sunglasses (Da Huang), they were practically walking sources of terror.

"ha--!!!"

The cat elder arched his back and hissed a warning.

The thousands of cats behind him arched their backs, their tails bristled, and they growled in a low, menacing growl.

The atmosphere on the dock became tense.

"Oh? You've got quite a temper, haven't you?"

Jiang Li wasn't angry; instead, she found it even more interesting.

"That wildness, that energy—if we brought it back to the shop, it would definitely command respect!"

At this moment, Xiao Hei, who had been hiding behind Jiang Li, finally came out.

"Meow—" (Everyone, step back! Don't be rude!)

A faint divine golden light emanated from Xiao Hei's body (Buster's divine power).

Upon seeing Xiao Hei, the cat elder and the other cats paused for a moment, their hostility fading slightly. They all lowered their heads to show their respect for the goddess incarnation.

"Meow..." (My goddess, why are you with these... barbarians?)

Elder Cat asked in confusion.

Little Black licked its paws awkwardly.

"Meow..." (It's a long story, anyway... although they don't look like good people, they're actually... pretty good cooks.)

"Cooking skills?"

The cats looked at each other in bewilderment.

Just then, Jiang Li began his operation.

He knew that to win over a cat, force was the worst approach (after all, you can't kill cats here), good looks were a good approach, and delicious food was the best approach!

"Lei Meng! Bring down our 'greeting gift'!"

"Okay!"

Lei Meng and Liu Wei carried several huge boxes out of the cabin and placed them on the dock.

The box was opened.

An aroma powerful enough to drive any feline mad instantly erupted!

It didn't contain gold and silver treasures, but rather—

【Abyss Premium Tuna Canned Food】(Made with mutated tuna meat, deep-sea fish oil, and dragon liver powder)!

and also--

【Demonic Catnip】(Produced by Deep Blue Farm, watered with divine blood, its hallucinogenic effect is 100 times that of ordinary catnip)!

"Slurp..."

The air on the dock seemed to freeze instantly.

All the cats, including the aloof elder cat, had their noses twitching wildly, and their pupils dilated instantly, turning into round, black grapes.

What does this taste like?

It smells so good! It's so addictive!

This is simply a call from the depths of my soul!

"Meow!!!" (I want to eat! Give it to me!)

One of the less composed orange cats couldn't resist any longer and was the first to rush forward.

"Don't rush, don't rush, everyone... no, the cats get a share!"

Jiang Li smiled like a creepy uncle trying to kidnap a child.

He opened a can of food, poured it onto a plate, and sprinkled some catnip powder on top.

"Come on, have a taste! If you don't like it, you don't have to pay!"

The little orange cat pounced on it and began to wolf down the food.

After taking just one bite, it squinted its eyes happily, rolled around on the ground, and purred like a tractor.

"Meow~~~" (Heaven! I see heaven! So many fish are flying!)

The magic of catnip is kicking in.

Seeing this, how could the other cats possibly hold back?

Reserved? Dignity?

Compared to the absolute finest cuisine, everything else pales in comparison!

"Meow--!!!"

The cats erupted in chaos, surging forward like a tidal wave and surrounding Jiang Li and the others.

"Give it to me! I want one too!"

"I want the one with powder!"

"Don't push me! I'm an elder!"

Even the cat elder didn't care about his image anymore, squeezing to the front and rubbing against Jiang Li's leg.

"Meow..." (Young man, I see you have extraordinary potential, a rare talent for being a cat owner... Could you open another can for me?)

Xiao Hei stood to the side, watching this scene, and helplessly covered his face.

It’s over.

The pride of Uva has been completely destroyed.

These good-for-nothings have already fallen?

"Hahaha! Eat! Eat as much as you want! All you can eat!"

Jiang Li watched his feline overlords, who were engrossed in their food and illusions, and felt a surge of joy.

This isn't a siege; it's a massive cat-petting event!

"Ergou! Don't just stand there! Now, pick out the ones that are good-looking, have nice fur, and know how to be affectionate, and register them for me!"

"We're going to use a 'labor dispatch' system! Let's sign contracts!"

"Yes, boss!"

Wang Ergou took out his notebook and began picking and choosing among the cats.

"This plush toy is nice; it has big eyes and would be perfect as a receptionist!"

"This black cat is very agile; it can catch mice in the kitchen (although there aren't any mice there)!"

"This big orange cat... is too fat, it can only be used as a mascot or a cushion."

……

Just as Jiang Li was busy recruiting soldiers and buying horses.

An old man dressed in a white robe and holding an ivory staff emerged from the town's temple.

His hair and beard were all white, his eyes were deep, and he exuded an awe-inspiring aura of wisdom.

Atal.

The priest of Uva was one of the few human sages in the Dreamlands who could communicate with the Great Old Ones. He had once climbed Mount Hasig and witnessed the gods dancing on its summit.

"What's going on here? Why is there such a commotion?"

Atal frowned as he walked to the dock.

Then he witnessed a scene that he would never forget.

Those "holy cats" who were usually so arrogant and barely paid any attention to him, the priest, were now shamelessly surrounding a few outsiders, rolling on the ground, rubbing against their legs, and begging for hugs.

Some were even punching the air drunk because they had inhaled too much of that green powder (catnip).

The entire dock was filled with a strong fishy smell and a strange herbal aroma.

"This...this is blasphemy!"

Atal was shocked.

He strode forward and slammed his staff heavily on the ground.

"Stop! Strangers! What have you done to these Holy Spirits?!"

Jiang Li was enjoying petting the cat when he heard the sound and looked up.

"Oh? A manager has arrived?"

He brushed the cat fur off his hands and stood up.

"Grandpa, don't get excited. We're just having a 'food culture exchange'."

"Cultural exchange?"

Atal looked at the cats, lost in their own world, and said, "You're poisoning them!"

"What poison? This is called catnip! It's all-natural and harmless!"

Jiang Li took out an unopened can of food and handed it to Atar.

"Don't believe me? Try it! This fish is a top-quality deep-sea delicacy; I can't bear to eat it myself."

Atal: "..."

I'm a human! I don't eat cat food!

"Young man, Uva City does not welcome people like you who break the rules."

Atal's expression was stern. "Take your poison and leave immediately! Otherwise, even with the goddess's protection (he saw Little Black), I will activate the city's defensive barrier!"

"Leave? That won't do."

Jiang Li shook his head. "I haven't finished negotiating this business deal yet."

He looked at Atal and suddenly laughed.

"Old man, I see your temple is old and dilapidated, and the incense isn't very popular, is it?"

"These cats don't eat very well usually, look how thin they've become (actually, he's made them picky eaters)."

"How about we discuss a collaboration?"

"Cooperation?" Atal looked at him warily.

"Yes! Cross-dimensional labor dispatch cooperation!"

Jiang Li took out the unwritten contract (which was actually just a blank sheet of paper) and began to make empty promises.

"I, the chairman of Deep Blue Seafood Restaurant, am willing to provide 'long-term meal tickets' for the cats of Uva City!"

"If you agree to let me take some of your cats to my shop to 'work' (be cute), I'll provide you with one ton of this premium canned food every month, plus one hundred pounds of top-grade catnip!"

"Furthermore, I can fund the renovation of your temple and build each cat a private, air-conditioned villa!"

Atal was stunned.

A ton of canned food? A hundred pounds of catnip? Building a temple?

These conditions...

It looks so tempting!

It's important to know that although killing cats is prohibited in Uva, the economic situation here is actually quite poor, and the cats usually eat leftovers and rats.

If this can truly improve the living standards of cats, that would be a great deed!

but……

"Work? What do you want them to do?" Atal asked worriedly, "What if it's manual labor or..."

"Don't worry! It'll be absolutely easy!"

Jiang Li assured him, "It's just lying there letting people touch me, eating snacks, and sleeping. If I'm in a good mood, I can let out a few cries; if I'm in a bad mood, I can scratch them a couple of times, it's fine."

"This is called 'emotional support specialist'! It's a noble profession!"

Atal looked at the cats, their mouths greasy and their faces beaming with happiness.

He glanced again at Jiang Li's eyes, which were filled with "sincerity" (money).

He wavered.

"This... I need to discuss it with Elder Cat."

"No need to discuss it anymore! I agree!"

The elder cat next to them, who had eaten its fill, rolled over on its back and raised its paw.

"I'll go anywhere as long as I get food! The rats are sick of this place!"

Atal: "..."

So this is a betrayal?

……

Ultimately, through "friendly" negotiations between the two parties, a groundbreaking "Uva City Cat Labor Dispatch Agreement" was officially signed.

Jiang Li successfully abducted five hundred cats of excellent quality, including the cat elder (who served as the leader).

When the Black Pearl returned, it was not only filled with wine, but also with cats.

"Meow meow meow—"

Inside the cabin, five hundred cats meowed together; the scene was truly spectacular.

Big Yellow huddled in the corner, trembling.

It felt its position in the family (as the only pet) was seriously threatened.

"Don't be afraid, Big Yellow."

Jiang Li patted the dog's head. "You're the security captain, and they're from the public relations department. There's no conflict."

……

Back in Jianghai City.

On the third floor of Shenlan Seafood Restaurant, the nameplate has been officially opened as "Shenlan Cat Cafe".

The opening day caused a sensation throughout the city.

Countless cat lovers flocked to the scene.

When they saw those cats from a dream world, possessing spirituality and even simple "mind-reading" abilities (knowing where you itch and rubbing against it), they were completely captivated.

"Oh my god! This cat can do backflips!"

"This cat actually gave me a massage!"

"Did this cat just look down on me? But I love it!"

Deep Blue Cat Cafe became an instant hit.

Sales revenue surged again.

Jiang Li sat in his office, counting money while looking at the cats all over the room.

"This is what life is all about."

"but……"

He glanced out the window.

"It seems there are more good things in the Dreamland than just these?"

"I've heard that on the Plateau of Leng in the north, there are horned giants? And a purple spider?"

"I wonder if those spider legs would taste good roasted?"

His gaze once again turned to the unknown distance.