Ruan Bai noticed that the written characters looked somewhat different from the ones he had seen in the past, so he subconsciously committed them to memory.
Citizens across the interstellar era were universally active on the Interstellar Network.
This particular app had incorporated feedback from numerous sources and automatically enabled a semi-holographic live-streaming mode by default.
If parents preferred not to have it on, they could toggle it off manually, though turning it back on required parental authorization to prevent children from accidentally activating it.
Marshal Huo generally spent his time stationed on the fringe stars battling the Zerg and remained largely unfamiliar with the functions of such apps, let alone the little cat demon.
As the holographic live stream activated, it didn’t take long for viewers to notice the little white kitten intently watching an enlightenment cartoon in the broadcast.
[Is this a cat live-streaming itself learning how to read?]
Anyone who stumbled into the room by accident was startled.
Ever since humanity began its campaign across the interstellar expanse, all native biological species had unconsciously grown stronger over time.
Soft, delicate small animals gradually dwindled in number, and many had vanished entirely amidst the evolutionary process.
Cats were among the rare species that survived without mutating into aggressive forms.
Most cats nowadays commanded exorbitant price tags, and households that kept cats were invariably wealthy or of high social standing.
It was only natural for netizens to feel bewildered upon suddenly discovering a little kitten running its own holographic live stream online.
Before long, the stream’s popularity climbed steadily.
The white milk-kitten, sporting a pair of golden cat pupils, focused all its attention on the educational cartoon on its optical computer, occasionally nodding its little head or waving its tiny paws.
It even used its optical computer to command a robot to pour it a glass of water.
[I’m such a fool. I thought the kitten was watching something interesting, but it turned on that old turtle again…]
[Dead memories are suddenly attacking me.]
This version of the animation had undergone numerous generations of updates, yet that stern old turtle teaching the class had remained completely unchanged. With its elongated face and severe gaze, it bore an uncanny resemblance to a strict middle school dean.
It had inflicted a fair share of childhood trauma upon quite a few people.
“Xiaobai, come here.”
A low, husky, and mellow voice echoed out, prompting the little cat demon in front of the screen to swat the app shut in one swift motion.
Once the app closed, the live stream naturally cut off.
The Marshal scooped Xiaobai up and carried him into the bedroom, walking over to a wall-mounted concealed cabinet that was crammed to the brim with top-tier energy crystals.
“Meow!!!”
Spiritual stones!
So many spiritual stones!!
Lowering his gaze to look at the little milk-kitten’s excited expression, Huo Jiuxiao picked out an energy crystal and shoved it straight into his arms.
“They’re all yours.”
Over the past few days, he had tracked down quite a few historical texts concerning Chinese demons, but most of them consisted of ghost stories or accounts fabricated by people of the past, holding zero credibility.
Yet he had witnessed with his own eyes how Xiaobai could grow larger in size an ability ordinary cats certainly didn’t possess nor had he ever seen any animal that consumed energy crystals for sustenance.
The Marshal fed him with a solemn expression, looking genuinely pure and harmless on the surface.
“Xiaobai, I want to talk to you about the Zerg.”
Gnawing on a spiritual stone, Ruan Bai replied in a perfunctory tone: “Meow?”
“How did you know Frank was a Zerg?” The Marshal opened his own optical computer, projecting a semi-transparent screen that replayed Frank’s every move aboard the starship.
“Frank’s behavior was completely normal all along.”
Pausing for a moment, he continued, “This surveillance footage makes it look as though you…” attacked him without any provocation.
Still, it was probably best not to voice that thought aloud; otherwise, this delicate little cat demon would likely blow its top.
“Meow-aow.” That’s because he stinks.
Ruan Bai wore a look of utter disdain.
Huo Jiuxiao: “…”
It appeared that teaching Xiaobai how to type had truly become an urgent priority. He would also need to visit those old fogies at the Research Institute to see if they could engineer a cat-language translator.