Chapter 106: Little Nekomata (a mythical cat in Japanese folklore)
"Asa!" Almost immediately after the woman's scream rang out, Jing Yuanheng stood up and walked into the house. His voice carried a hint of panic. "Are you okay, Asa?!"
"I'm fine, Heng-kun," the female voice sounded again. "It's just that the little Nekomata came to our house. I was just startled."
"Really. Are you not hurt?"
Ling tilted his head slightly, listening to the voices coming from inside the house. After confirming it wasn't a Booby Trap, he focused and started eating seriously.
The freshly sliced fish fillets were juicy and extremely sweet. They were just right to compensate for the rough texture of the mixed grain rice in the bowl, and they brought out the unique sweetness of the grains, creating a rich and flavorful taste in his mouth.
When Ling was almost done eating, the sound of two people's footsteps came from the direction of the house. He put down his utensils, turned towards the door, and said with a gentle smile, "Looks like the trouble's been solved?"
"Ah, yes, it's been solved..." Jing Yuanheng sighed. "Sorry to make you laugh, young man."
"Are you the traveler Heng-kun just mentioned?" A lively female voice sounded. "You're really amazing. I even find it difficult to move around when it gets dark!"
Ling tilted his head slightly. "You are..."
"My name is Asa. I'm Heng-kun's wife! How's the food? Since I didn't know your taste, I just used scallion and ginger water to remove the fishy smell from the fish fillets. Does it suit your taste?"
"Yes, it's very delicious. Your cooking skills are really good." Ling nodded with a smile. "Sorry if I'm being rude... What just happened?"
"Ah, this..." Asa sighed and looked at the little Nekomata held by its scruff in her husband's hand. "A little one somehow targeted our house. I was busy in the kitchen and didn't notice right away. It gave me a fright."
Jing Yuanheng also held the little Nekomata by the back of its neck and kept the struggling and hissing little thing at a distance, but his voice was full of amusement. "This little Nekomata is widely renowned among the fishing families in our fishing village."
Ling quietly picked up his staff sword again, but he was stunned for a moment. After frowning imperceptibly, he said gently, "I'm very interested in this. Could you please tell me in detail?"
"Actually, there's nothing much to it," Jing Yuanheng laughed heartily. "It was probably startled out of the mountains by the earthquakes the other day. It's probably starving and hasn't learned how to hunt yet, so it always scrounges for food from our fishing families - this little Nekomata sure knows how to eat. It only goes for the fattest part of the fish belly."
Hearing this, Asa sighed. "Actually, such a small Nekomata can't eat much anyway. It would be good to keep it to catch mice, but it's a Nekomata...
They say that if a Nekomata lives with a human for a long time, it will turn into that person's appearance and take their place. Although it looks cute, I really dare not keep it."
"I've never seen a Nekomata before," Ling placed the staff sword across his lap again. "May I touch the little Nekomata to feel it?"
"Of course," Jing Yuanheng held out the little Nekomata in his hand. "Be careful. Although it's small, it can be quite fierce when it gets angry."
Ling reached out his hand. "Yes, I'll be careful."
The warm and soft feeling was clearly felt through his fingertips. Ling carefully held the little Nekomata in his hand, but the next moment, it bit his finger hard, and a threatening 'grr' sound was clearly heard.
"Ah, young man, your hand—! I'd better grab it away, right?" Jing Yuanheng looked at Ling's bleeding hand and was about to pinch the cat by the back of its neck to pull it away. "Asa, go find something to stop the bleeding."
"It's okay, it's just a minor injury... But this little fellow is really quite scared," Even though the wound was bleeding continuously, Ling's right hand holding the little Nekomata remained steady, and the smile on his face didn't change at all. "There, there, don't be afraid. I won't do anything to you. Relax."
Ling used less force and gently rubbed the little Nekomata's ear depression with the tip of his index finger. As Ling stroked it, the little Nekomata finally let go of his finger and quietly lay on Ling's hand, licking the bloody teeth.
"Wow... It's the first time I've seen it so obedient," Asa came back with the first - aid kit and looked at the little Nekomata that was as quiet as a mouse in Ling's hand in surprise. "How did you do it?"
Feeling the little Nekomata in his hand calm down, Ling then bent his fingers and stroked it along the direction of its fur growth. "My fellows and family members all keep cats, so I've got some experience."
"Rather than that, young man, you'd better treat your hand first... The blood has been flowing everywhere."
"Sorry to trouble you." Ling quickly and gently transferred the little Nekomata to his other hand. While holding out his right hand, he also didn't forget to gently rub the little Nekomata's chin with his knuckles. "You really bit down without mercy. Do you think I'm scary?"
However, the little Nekomata in his hand just squinted its eyes and let out a soft purr as Ling kept petting it.
Ling shook his head with a smile and then looked up. "You just said that this little Nekomata appeared after the earthquakes, right?"
"Ah, yes. I don't know what's going on. It's been quite turbulent recently." Jing Yuanheng sighed. "First, people kept disappearing in Thunder Gorge, and eventually, the noble lords seemed to have invited powerful ninja to handle the situation. After that, earthquakes and Tatsunami occurred frequently..."
"Eh... Then, with things like this, don't the nobles care?"
"How could those bigwigs care about us?" Jing Yuanheng shook his head. "Moreover, the most common news I've heard in the market recently is that the Fang Daimyō is seriously ill. In this situation, how can those noble lords have the heart to care about our lives? Anyway, there will always be someone to bear the brunt of the disasters before them."
"Indeed..." The smile on his lips faded slightly. He retracted his bandaged hand. "Please help me pack the food. Although day and night have no significance for me, the chill of the night is still unkind to travelers."
"You're right. Then I'll pick some for you at my discretion?"
"Yes, please. By the way, how did you handle this little Nekomata you caught before?"
"Oh, that. Just give it to me, lad. I'll release it into the woods when I pass by on my way to the city to sell goods."
"Then let me handle it." Ling took out his money - bag and placed it on the table, gesturing for Jing Yuanheng to take what he needed. "I'm just going in the direction of Thunder Gorge. It's not a big deal to release it on the way."
"Eh? Is that okay? Won't it be too much trouble for you, lad?"
Ling lowered his head again and smiled at the little Nekomata that had slumped into Ittan in his hand. "How could that be? It's a cinch."