<h4>Chapter 197: Chapter 197: Extraordinary Allies, Already Adept_1</h4>


    Bai Xiaosheng searched around, but after a long time, he found nothing.


    "It seems that the area around here is well-managed," Bai Xiaosheng sighed.


    He could only call out to Red Lotus, search around, and then head off in one direction.


    Just one street away from here.


    That ce was an urban vige with few people left living there, all marked withrge, white demolition characters on the walls.


    ording to the inte, construction was to start next year, and it would be turned into a high-end residential area.


    Now, most of the people in this urban vige had moved out, leaving only a few behind, but there were plenty of cats and dogs.


    Those abandoned pets, left unchecked, had be stray cats and stray dogs, surviving only by scavenging through trash and hunting rodents.


    At the entrance of the urban vige was a small store with dim lighting. The neon sign at the door no longer lit up, leaving only a string of festive light bulbs barely illuminating, enough for everyone to see the words "XX Supermarket" on the sign, even with its name fallen off, leaving only the words "Supermarket," which were pasted on with thick paper and repeatedly outlined with a ckboard pen.


    The owner was a man in his fifties, surnamed Liu, idly minding the counter, bored out of his mind.


    In the evenings, his business was slow, but he had to stay open until nine or ten o’clock, after all, the vigers relied on his shop for their necessities like instant noodles, sausages, tea eggs, chicken feet, some drinks, and daily groceries.


    Liu was bored when he saw a young man walk in, with ordinary looks but very energetic.


    He looked unfamiliar, not from this vige.


    Liu thought about it and was certain of it.


    The young man grabbed thergest stic bag, walked over, and swept the shelves clear of the few sausages, chicken feet, tea eggs, and other edibles, filling the bag to the brim.


    Now there was a big customer!


    Liu greeted the young man warmly, made change, and watched him walk into the vige.


    "He must be gathering with someone, there’s enough food here for a dozen or twenty people. But for a gathering, why not buy any alcohol?"


    Liu was surprised.


    At that moment, Bai Xiaosheng found a dark alleyway with a few lights left on, located the garbage bins, and startled a few small, thin figures rummaging through the trash, who quickly leaped into the darkness, disappearing from sight.


    Bai Xiaosheng smiled, set down his bag, took out some sausages and chicken feet, and without minding the smell of garbage, ate a few bites before tossing them into the area where darkness and light intertwined, repeating the process.


    Tiny sounds came from the darkness, and Bai Xiaosheng even saw a few pairs of green eyes.


    "Meow!"


    "Woof woof!"


    Finally, restless barking and meowing erupted.


    Several shadows dashed out like greased lightning, snatched some of the food, and then in the darkness, they tumbled into a tumbling skirmish.


    "Initiate secondary assist,nguage conversion..."


    "Detected: domestic Chinese cats, domestic Chinese dogs, West Hignd White Terriers, Folded-Ear Cat..."


    Red Lotus kept identifying the species based on their barks and meows.


    Bai Xiaosheng felt silently distressed; the humans had left, and these pets, unchecked, had be stray cats and dogs, living mixed together,peting for trash to survive.


    After this is over, I’ll call an animal rescue station, hoping they all have a good ce to go, Bai Xiaosheng thought to himself, and then selected anguage.


    "Trante into thenguage of domestic Chinese dogs and domestic Chinese cats!"


    These two breeds were native breeds, colloquially called "local dogs" and "local cats." Some looked down on them, but Bai Xiaosheng knew they were smarter than foreign breeds and more adaptable to the environment. What’s most precious is that domestic Chinese dogs are good at group fights, disying a sense ofmunity, and domestic Chinese cats are even better hunters.


    Bai Xiaosheng made calls in thenguages of cats and dogs, inviting them from the darkness.


    "I have a lot of food here for you to eat! There’s enough for you all to be full. I need your help!"


    Bai Xiaosheng’s calls brought a moment of quiet to the darkness, as the animals’ eyes flickered.


    Abandoned animals find it hard to trust humans again.


    "Ie with sincerity. If you don’t believe me, I can leave and seek help elsewhere!" Bai Xiaosheng said seriously, picking up his bag. "I can do more for you than just provide a meal. I understand your noises; I can help you more. If you miss out on this opportunity, you’ll regret it!"


    Bai Xiaosheng made as if to walk away.


    From different directions in the darkness, suddenly came cries, from cats and dogs alike.


    "Stop!"


    "Stop!"


    The voices tranted into one rough, the other sharp.


    Bai Xiaosheng saw a tall, lean dog leading a group of dirty, mixed-breed dogs out, while from another spot, a rtively clean tabby cat led a group of different breeds of cats out.


    The cats and dogs formed a nking position against Bai Xiaosheng, yet they were also wary of each other.


    As long as there was something to talk about, that was good.


    Bai Xiaoshengughed, setting down his bag.


    "How about we work together?"


    ...


    Several minutester.


    At the entrance of the urban vige’s small store, Liu was just yawning when he saw a swarm of cats dash by like a streak, easily over a dozen, startling him; before he recovered, he saw a group of various-sized dogs run past silently, giving him yet another scare.


    "My God, have the animals be spirits!"


    In the viplex.


    The gate guards were suddenly drawn to a burst of urgent barking. A fewrge dogs charged towards them. The two guards were so frightened they fell over each other as they ran inside, screaming incessantly.


    "My God, quickly call the disease control center!"


    They didn’t notice the dozen cats along with several swift small dogs, making no sound, darting into theplex within the shadows, like a well-trained special forces unit.


    Upon entering theplex, the cats and dogs quickly scattered.


    The frightened guards, clutching their phones, peered outside only to find the street empty and quiet, norge dogs in sight.


    However, inside theplex, a silent storm had erupted.


    Pets from every household—cats, dogs, all sorts of birds—became restless, with many "missing."


    In one corner of the vi area, stray cats and dogs reconvened within half an hour. Under their lead or escort, the number of animals had doubled, including pet cats and dogs, as well as shivering parrots, Hwameis, pigeons, and even five or sixrge rats.


    The stray cats surrounded them, with stray dogs on guard on the outer ring, ready to react.


    The lead tabby cat began mewling at these animals. If Bai Xiaosheng were there, he certainly would haveughed out loud.


    The tabby cat was saying,


    "I’ve called you all here because there’s a favor I need from you. Those who don’t want to die should not refuse!"


    It was like a mob boss giving a pep talk.


    Some pets joined voluntarily, others were forced, and some dared not refuse.


    And this was only the beginning.


    The animal troop quickly grew in size and kept on "recruiting" new members.


    At this moment, Bai Xiaosheng was sitting on a stone bench outside the vi area, apanied by a few cats and dogs, with a pigeon perched on his shoulder, cooing away.


    This was a newly promoted "liaison officer," with six of itspanions taking turns to pass on messages.


    The efficiency of the new partner had impressed Bai Xiaosheng.


    Animals bing spirits, simply invincible.


    At this moment, Pigeon Number One was conveying a message to him, "Target spotted, request action!"


    "Go ahead!"


    Bai Xiaosheng issued themand.