Weird Theft . . .
Suddenly, Cha Eun Xiao had a peculiar thought. [If Jun Yinglian, Su Yeyue, and the other girls were here, they would undoubtedly be captivated by this little fellow... Erhuo must be a heartbreaker...]
Erhuo might have sensed Cha Eun Xiao's mental state because the grunting in its throat grew louder...
...
The following morning, General Cha finally convened a meeting with his top officers. When they arrived, they were taken aback by what they beheld.
General Cha sat regally in his chair, exuding authority and seriousness. A longsword hung on the wall beside him, while the Commander's Seal rested on his desk, enveloped in the scent of burning incense.
A distinguished and imposing military leader!
Yet, in his arms rested a cat, a little snowy cat no larger than a human palm. It resembled a recently born kitten.
The generals were baffled as to how such a tiny feline had appeared in this setting under these circumstances.
[What in the world?]
The generals were flabbergasted. They had no idea their Commander was a cat lover, and they certainly didn't expect him to be so... relaxed!
They stood there in stunned silence, uncertain of how to react. While Cha Eun Xiao sensed their bewilderment, he paid it no heed, recognizing that the cat was the cause. He was about to address the assembly when a quartermaster approached him.
Cha Eun Xiao was taken aback.
The quartermaster was responsible for logistics and supplies, and his distressed appearance suggested an urgent matter had arisen – and it wasn't likely to be good news for the army.
"Commander..." The quartermaster, his brow glistening with sweat, appeared dazed and unsure of himself. "Something extraordinary has occurred in the storeroom – it's so bizarre, so unbelievable... I can't even... I don't know..."
Cha Eun Xiao furrowed his brow. "Calm down. Don't panic. Just tell me what happened."
The quartermaster took a deep breath and composed himself.
He explained, "After the intense battle, once the excitement had subsided, the pain of our injuries and fatigue set in. Everyone was in low spirits. We wanted to provide our men with better nourishment, but there was a shortage of good food in this area. So, we dispatched some soldiers to gather more supplies, and they discovered a small lake not far from here."
The soldiers who found the lake returned with news that excited the quartermaster. The lake teemed with fish.
It was a promising discovery.
Subsequently, the quartermaster sent three hundred soldiers to capture all the fish in the lake, specifically those weighing over a pound. They managed to amass approximately eight thousand pounds of fish, both large and small.
While this may have seemed like a significant quantity, it wasn't nearly enough to feed the entire camp. Consequently, it was decided to make fish soup so that everyone could at least have a taste. The camp's cook had been working diligently for three days to prepare the fish soup. The first two days went smoothly, but on the third day, when they were ready to retrieve the fish...
The fish had vanished!
Of the eight thousand pounds of fish divided into three portions, over two thousand pounds had disappeared on the third day!
Completely gone!
Vanished!
Everything in the storeroom remained as it was, untouched, including gold and silver, medical supplies, and all other items. The only thing missing was the fish.
Even more astonishingly...
In the space where the fish should have been, a pile of fish bones was left behind.
Neatly stacked!
Every fish, from head to tail, and even the bones on either side, was intact. It appeared as though all the fish had vanished from the same location, leaving behind only the bones.
Not a trace of flesh remained.
The situation was baffling.
"This is so strange... The door lock is still secure. Whoever took our fish didn't break in. But even if someone stole the key and entered the storeroom, how did they consume all the fish and casually leave the bones behind? How many people would it take to finish all those fish in one go?" Cha Eun Xiao pondered aloud.
The quartermaster was visibly perturbed. "I'm not suggesting anything foolish, but... to eat the fish so meticulously... it's simply beyond human capability. I suspect whoever consumed our fish must be an exceedingly powerful individual. However, I can't make sense of it. If they are that powerful, why would they only focus on the fish? What's the point?"
"Perhaps... I'm considering... they must be an incredibly influential figure with an insatiable passion for fish. Otherwise, they wouldn't have committed such an act. It's just... I find it hard to believe there is such a person..." He appeared somewhat embarrassed, indicating that he had doubts about his own theory.
The generals were dumbfounded.
"What on earth is happening?"
"If he's wrong, could it be a ghost? Isn't that even more unbelievable!"
Unbeknownst to them, the little cat in Commander Ye's arms lazily opened its eyes. It squinted at the quartermaster and then closed its eyes once more, beginning to snore.
Suddenly, it let out a burp.
Evidently, it concurred with the quartermaster's theory, believing he was onto something. The term "powerful figure" seemed fitting to the cat.
Cha Eun Xiao, too, was in a state of bewilderment, unable to fathom any reasonable explanation. Just as he was preparing to question the quartermaster further, he detected a peculiar scent emanating from the cat in his arms.
He looked down and observed the little creature burping. It lay there with its eyes closed, as if it had no connection to the situation. Its fluffy tail twitched slightly.
Clearly, it was relishing the scenario and even taking a measure of delight in it.