Chapter 50

Chapter 50

Cats Are My Friends

“Wh, who are you! Please save me···!”

When the flashing flash burst consecutively, only then realized I’m a person?

The suspicious guy flailed both arms and shouted.

Good that took off the bird-beak mask a little earlier. Otherwise it was a reaction that seemed like wouldn’t stop at screaming and completely faint.

I turned on the flashlight function and approached.

The suspicious guy had a large build, but the face looked young. At most high school student level?

“Who are you digging in the middle of the night, suspiciously. By any chance.”

Swept the house with countless [Contagious Disease Patient] with the phone light.

“Do you live in this house?”

“Ah, no? I’m there···. But, who are you hyung?”

“Me? A friend of the owner of that house there.”

“Ah···.”

The suspicious guy fumbled and raised his body.

“I’m···. Trying to bury a dead cat···.”

“In the middle of the night without even turning on the light?”

“Because if someone sees seems like will tell parents. If knowing buried a stray cat will definitely get angry···.”

The suspicious guy was a middle school student living in this neighborhood.

According to the student’s words, recently the state of the stray cats in this neighborhood was not very good.

The state of the cat usually found cute, Nabi also not good so was making a capture plan to take to the hospital but···.

“No matter how much waiting and searching for several days not visible. So just in case went to that mountain···.”

The student sniffled.

“Nabi was dead···. So wanted to bury here where usually often played···.”

Inside the pitch-black bag there was a box containing a dead cat.

Whether directly closed the eyes and wiped the face, the cat was a peaceful appearance as if sleeping.

“Heuk, heuk···. Should have found faster···.”

In the student’s touch stroking the dead cat, regret and sadness were fully contained.

Seeing that appearance suddenly Arong came to mind.

A farewell that will come to me someday too.

“Sorry. Not knowing that and startling, and suspecting as a suspicious guy.”

“No···.”

“Kang Bong-sik? What are you doing there?”

At that time Yu Ji-han appeared shining the phone light.

I calmed the surging emotion and briefly explained the situation.

Yu Ji-han made a regrettable expression.

“Still···. Burying in the ground like this won’t do···.”

“It’s land Grandmother inherited to me, still won’t do···?”

“It’s your land?”

“Yes···.”

Already has land as a middle school student.

The student saying please look once, dug the ground deeper more. And finally stroked the cat once more.

“In the next life more healthy and happy, let’s live long Nabi···.”

Covered the cardboard box lid, and tightly wrapped that with vinyl again.

Me and Yu Ji-han helped covering the soil with complicated faces.

A round small grave was made.

The student bowed his head to us.

“Thank you for helping···.”

“But.”

I pointed to the dark house where [Contagious Disease Patient] were wriggling.

“Then do you know who lives in this house?”

“Yes.”

The student nodded.

“This house is also ours, Dad lent to another person. But this house, is a bit very strange. When first moved in there were only two cats?”

A short while later.

I walked toward the reservoir with Yu Ji-han.

“No matter how much waiting you not coming, thought fell in the toilet.”

“Not even a traditional toilet so falling. By the way what do you think? That house earlier, even a bit apart it’s your next house.”

A little earlier.

The middle school student said like this about the house where [Contagious Disease Patient] were wriggling.

Clearly at first only two cats, but after a few months more cat cries than that were heard.

So Father asked how many are you raising on earth, but said didn’t properly answer saying didn’t permit raising cats?

Yu Ji-han’s expression became serious.

“Indeed. No way not an animal hoarder?”

“That student burying the cat earlier also, and the state of the stray cats in this neighborhood not good also. If a cat contagious disease is circulating, the cats in that house also seem like they would be in a dangerous state.”

“Still no particular method right? Can’t report for raising many cats. No smell like that either.”

“It is but···.”

Is there no good method?

While worrying and pondering, arrived at the reservoir.

Park Jae-yoon had entered the tent and was sleeping in the meantime. The appearance entered in a thick sleeping bag was exactly a larva.

“This guy, did he fish for one hour?”

“Haha.”

The next day dawn.

Woke up from sleep because cold.

[MP 58/190]

Confirmed the MP recovered in the meantime and got up messily.

Beside whether when came Yu Ji-han was sleeping.

Said sleeping in my car, seems too narrow so came to the tent midway.

“Did you wake up?”

Outside Park Jae-yoon was sitting in front of the fishing rod.

The reservoir had thick fog and gave off a dreamy atmosphere.

“Yeah. When did you wake up?”

“I also just now.”

I said I’ll go to the bathroom and stopped by my car.

Like last night recovered MP 10 with the completely cold herb tea, and packed the bird-beak mask and cane.

Waiting for MP to recover more then treating all at once would be convenient, but seeing the dead cat last night the heart wanting to make better even a bit faster arose.

Even if the owner is an animal hoarder, because the sick cats are pitiful.

“Roughly treated 26···. No, 27?”

While going counted the number of cats treated until now.

Including the two tigers that cat treatment bonus experience came in, would approach thirty.

A sigh naturally came out.

When will I fill 100 and get the achievement ‘Cat Angel’.

No, is the achievement ‘Cat Angel’ correct? Since the system naming or translation is a mess can’t trust.

Yu Ji-han’s next house.

In the house still not a single light visible there were many green [Contagious Disease Patient] texts.

By any chance is this house person, neglecting only the cats and only coming once or twice a week?

But to see it like that the not smelling is strange.

“When did this get brought again···.”

Behind the house.

On the cat grave the student buried last night, a small cross and one flower were placed.

I crouched beside that and wore the bird-beak mask.

Behind this is a low hill with sparse trees. A position not easily noticeable unless someone deliberately comes this way.

[System]

-‘Plague Doctor Mask’ wearing effect: Skill MP cost reduced by 20%

I found the highest number.

[(70)-3]

The ‘Sloppy Treatment’ technique, can be absorbed by another [Contagious Disease Patient] not the existing target while flying.

I carefully gauged the position of [(70)-3] and raised the cane.

[System]

-Equipped a stick.

-Can use skill ‘Divine Punishment’.

“Treat, yes.”

A warm colored heat haze flew.

[System]

-‘Plague Treatment’ hit.

-‘Plague Treatment’ proficiency +0.7

-Experience +2.62%

-Cat treatment bonus experience +0.26%

[MP 12/190]

Hit.

Treated the guy whose state was the worst.

“Yes.”

Muttered small and clenched my fist tightly.

The moment trying to find the next [Contagious Disease Patient] with high estimated MP cost.

A blue system window appeared.

[Achieved achievement ‘Cats Are My Friends’!]

“······?!”

[System]

-Treated 30 cats.

-Achieved achievement ‘Cats Are My Friends’.

-Achievement ‘Cats Are My Friends’ achievement effect: Animal affinity +1

-Achievement ‘Cats Are My Friends’ achievement bonus: MP recovers by 150

[MP 162/190]

“Wow···.”

Definitely a guy crazy about cats among the system developers. Or because I’m the ‘Plague Doctor’ the cat related rewards and experience are generous?

Either way doesn’t matter.

The important thing is, MP recovered a lot.

I smiled brightly and aimed the cane at the [Contagious Disease Patient] again.

“Treat, yes.”

Like this treated 4 [Contagious Disease Patient] cats, and the last 5th ‘Sloppy Treatment’.

“Treat, yes.”

Threw the ‘Plague Treatment’ skill toward the [Contagious Disease Patient] that was moving slowly throughout then still.

[System]

-‘Plague Treatment’ hit.

-‘Plague Treatment’ proficiency +0.4

-Experience +1.30%

[MP 0/190]

“Huh···?”

The cat treatment bonus experience didn’t appear.

Did I treat a person?

There was a person in the house?

The truck elder said a person is visible once a week so thought none.

From yesterday throughout not even a sign of presence let alone a single light.

I took off the bird-beak mask and raised my body.

“······.”

The mood was uncomfortable.

Whether a person who couldn’t properly take care of the cats because sick, or an animal hoarder still don’t know.

“Haa···.”

I sighed and moved steps.

Before knowing the stray cats loitering beside me also followed.

Meow, meow.

The person of Yu Ji-han’s next house, until we left the neighborhood not even a single hair was visible.

***

The weekend that came again.

Because nerves were bothered found Yu Ji-han’s countryside house. Also curious if Yu Ji-han is doing well.

“Now seems like a house where people live?”

Yu Ji-han’s countryside house had changed beyond recognition.

The weeds that couldn’t all be pulled then cleanly disappeared, and a spacious wooden platform was placed.

The inside was wallpapered with new wallpaper, the flooring how much scrubbed that it shone.

“Also wiped all the door frames?”

Yu Ji-han grinned.

“Is that all? Also changed all the lights to LED, and installed a doorbell beside the gate. Now learning farm work and working hard, have to gather money.”

The household items were extremely simple, but Yu Ji-han looked considerably satisfied.

“The teacher who lent the truck last time, said will also teach how to handle tractors or other farm machinery.”

“I also want to try driving a tractor. But you don’t have a license.”

“Have to get. But what did you buy? From earlier a delicious smell is vibrating.”

“Jokbal.”

“Keu! As expected Kang Bong-sik, good sense.”

Spread a table on the wooden platform, and placed the food packaged from the jokbal specialty store so convenient to eat.

While eating lunch together I casually asked about the next house.

“Next house person? Yeah, saw. Also greeted.”

“Really? What kind of person? How many cats raising?”

A little earlier, when examining before entering this house that house still had [Contagious Disease Patient] visible.

In the meantime reduced to two.

“Age is early, said a freelancer working at home. When I said came from Seoul seemed extremely happy? Said the neighborhood elders here have wide meddling so burdensome.”

“Cats?”

“Why so obsessed with cats?”

“Cats?”

Yu Ji-han looked at me strangely then answered.

“Like Seong-gyu said at first only brought two is correct.”

“Seong-gyu?”

“Lee Seong-gyu. That student then. Anyway one was pregnant so postponed neutering surgery. And when the surgery possible period came too busy so postponed a bit, in the meantime with a stray cat again···. Anyway proliferated like that.”

“Ah···.”

Yu Ji-han waved his hand with a face to be at ease.

“Doesn’t seem like an animal hoarder. Because the cats are sickly as a group infected with something, even going out to logistics center daily wage because of hospital fees?”

“Really?”

I let out a sigh of relief inwardly.

Hearing the story, seems really not a weird guy.

“Asked me to look together for a place to send the kittens for adoption. Said the neighborhood elders here seem like will just release and raise so anxious.”

“If giving photos I’ll also look together.”

“Yeah. Later receive and send.”

Ding dong.

“Ji-han hyung~.”

Above the low wall the student seen last week was visible.

“Yeah, hello.”

Soon discovered me and bowed greeting.

“Yeah, hi.”

Yu Ji-han opened the gate.

“Come in. Want to eat jokbal?”

“Oh, really? Can I eat?”

If a middle school student an age very hungry.

I also nodded and gestured.

“Bought a lot. Wash hands and come.”

“Thank you! Ah, this Mom said to give hyung. Garlic pickles.”

“Thank you. Later have to go greet.”

While eating jokbal together, Lee Seong-gyu said after last week the state of the neighborhood stray cats improved a lot.

“Worried because the cats busy running away as soon as seeing me. Because have to catch to take to the hospital.”

“Why running away only when seeing you?”

And come to think of it when Lee Seong-gyu was digging the cats also fled hurriedly.

“Uh···.”

Lee Seong-gyu smiled with a sad face.

“Seems because always taking to the hospital if catching.”

“Oh dear.”

I asked for fun.

“By any chance not because tormenting the cats?”

“No, not at all.”

“Swear to God?”

“Swear to God, never tormented.”

······.

The system was quiet.

“Yeah, I’ll believe.”

“Ah right. Then Bong-sik hyung, took my photo. By any chance that··· still have?”

“Yeah. Haven’t erased yet.”

Forgot blinking.

“Could you erase? Seems like came out extremely ugly.”

“Photo? What photo?”

Yu Ji-han asked with a curious face.

“I filmed this guy startled while digging and falling. ···Ah, here.”

In the phone album full of our Arong’s photos, found and pressed the Lee Seong-gyu photo taken last week.

And at the same time burst into laughter.

Lee Seong-gyu’s expression startled as if about to faint was too vivid.

“Really came out funny.”

“Hey, if sending this photo to me won’t it do?”

“Hyung, why someone else’s black history? And that day I was extremely sad?”

“Sorry.”

Turned to the next photo.

“······.”

“······.”

“Uh···.”

This time laughter didn’t come out.

“This··· what?”

Yu Ji-han enlarged the photo.

The second photo of Lee Seong-gyu taken consecutively then.

On Lee Seong-gyu’s shoulder in the photo, something blurry was hanging.

“Exactly··· seems like a cat···?”

“···Nabi?”

Lee Seong-gyu covered his mouth and sobbed.

“Seems like our Nabi···. The cat buried then···.”

“······.”

I blankly looked at the blurry form in the photo.

Really the soul of the dead cat was filmed···?

At that time.

“Ack!”

Yu Ji-han suddenly made a loud sound and.

“Hwaak!”

Startled I threw the phone.

Crash.

“···Crazy guy, the jokbal all overturned!”

Yu Ji-han who played a prank flustered and knelt.

“Sorry.”

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