Go Back to Your Big Cat Form! Chapter 6: Does He Bite?

Chapter 6: Does He Bite?

Translated by Addis of Exiled Rebels Scanlations

Editor: Karai

 

The snow leopard pressed his eyelids, giving no answer. But Qian Shan needed one. “General, this is only my guess. After all, you don’t strike me as someone who repeatedly studies images of extinct big cats. But Mr. Lu certainly is.”

Among the few photos of Lu Yao circulating online, one showed him standing on a catwalk high above the No. 1 mecha research base, facing the massive steel giant of a mecha. A white cat crouched on his shoulder, leaving only a slender yet upright and serene silhouette for the photographer.

The frame couldn’t even capture the entire mecha. The man and the cat appeared so small in front of the cold industrial colossus, yet somehow, also so powerful. That photo was once idolized online, leading netizens to speculate that Chief Engineer Lu must be a devoted cat lover.

Qian Shan couldn’t think of anyone else in Zhou Yunchen’s circle who would collect images of snow leopards, a species long extinct on Earth, or who could occupy such an unshakable place in Zhou Yunchen’s heart.

“I also heard from Aide Zhao that you’ve asked a lawyer to prepare the divorce papers. Are you really ready to give up?”

The snow leopard lifted his head, a ripple passing through his deep eyes. Just as he prepared to respond, Qian Shan added, “If you decide to part ways with him, I wonder… could that be a major turning point, enough to change the wish that ranks first in your heart?”

A low growl rumbled from the snow leopard’s throat, followed by the rapid whir of mechanical sound. “No. That won’t work.”

Unlike Lu Yao, marriage had not marked the beginning of this relationship for Zhou Yunchen, nor would divorce mark its end.

“Then you still intend to go through with it?” Qian Shan could see from Zhou Yunchen’s past behavior that he truly loved Lu Yao, though his actions often puzzled Qian Shan.

“It’s Lu Yao who wants the divorce,” Zhou Yunchen typed slowly. “And I will refuse him nothing.”

 

The next day of estrus, Zheng Qian informed Lu Yao that his quarters would be moved to H Sector.

Lu Yao recalled that this was the private area reserved for the Commander aboard the Ares. The sudden change puzzled him. When he arrived at his new room in H Sector, Zhao Minghe was directing household robots to unpack a box of new clothes and hang them neatly.

Seeing Lu Yao, he smiled and greeted him. “Good day, Major General Lu. The room has been prepared.”

Lu Yao stood at the doorway, glancing at the more spacious room. “Why the sudden relocation?”

“Per the General’s orders,” Zhao Minghe replied, muttering to himself. The General not only disliked having alpha colleagues around Lu Yao during estrus, he also preferred the area to be mostly devoid of other alphas, so he arranged for Lu Yao’s room to be moved to H Sector.

“These clothes, too, were sent at the General’s request. All brand new. See if they suit you.”

Lu Yao was sensitive to cold, and the ship’s constant temperature couldn’t be adjusted. A few days ago, the snow leopard had noticed him exhaling warm air and rubbing his hands while working. Overnight, logistics had prepared thicker clothing to his measurements.

He hadn’t expected the General on the front lines to remember such details. Lu Yao glanced at the nameplate on the room across the hall bearing Zhou Yunchen’s name—his usual bedroom.

At this moment, however, the General’s room remained firmly closed, likely empty. Another household robot rolled past, transporting supplies, and Lu Yao stepped aside to give it a clear path.

“Aide Zhao, has General Zhou mentioned when he’ll return to the Silver Halberd Fleet?”

Zhao Minghe guessed that Lu Yao wanted news about the divorce. Since Zhou Yunchen couldn’t yet shift back from snow leopard form, meeting him was still far off. He began to improvise. “The situation on the front lines is like this…”

Zhao Minghe’s voice drifted faintly through the door crack. The snow leopard paid no attention to whatever military briefing his aide was inventing. He pressed his head against the door, purring in the deep, vibrating rhythm unique to felines.

The cold white light from the corridor filtered through the door’s gap, gradually softening like fine sand. As Lu Yao’s steps drew closer, the scent of catnip-laced pheromones intensified.

The subtly sweet, herbal fragrance made the snow leopard’s muscles shiver. His gaze blurred. He rubbed the back of his neck against the doorframe, as if to catch more of the scent. Static sparks flashed among his thick fur in the darkness.

“General Zhou’s return date is uncertain?” Lu Yao’s voice, mixed with the aroma, entered the snow leopard’s mind. Whether it was the pheromones or the catnip, his self-control teetered closer to zero.

“Yes,” Zhao Minghe said helplessly. “But… the General has prepared a draft divorce agr—”

Bang! Lu Yao’s attention had barely shifted toward the loud bang when something white shot past him, heading straight for him.

The impact and weight of it slammed the unprepared Lu Yao to the ground. His head spun violently, and a sharp metallic crack followed, as if some heavy object had struck the hard floor. Blood rushed to his brain, and darkness clouded his vision. His ears rang sharply. He could barely make out the shape that had hit him—a long, warm, soft, and surprisingly heavy form.

A living creature. Something furry and spherical brushed against the back of his neck. He moved like an animal, his coat smooth, shedding tiny hairs that tickled his skin.

“Hiss—” Lu Yao felt a tongue lick his nape. The sensation was like sandpaper soaked in hot water, leaving his skin slightly red and stinging. But he only licked once. Realizing he had acted on instinct, the creature froze. The catnip-laced pheromones were overwhelmingly strong. The animal pressed his fur against Lu Yao’s neck again, then froze completely, lying atop him without daring to move.

Lu Yao instantly thought this might be a large feline with barbed tongue papillae. He reached out, ran his hand over the thick fur, found the back of the neck, and lifted firmly. The big cat stiffened. Lu Yao took advantage of the moment, using a half-lift, half-push to move him off him, then quickly propped himself up and edged toward the wall.

The dull ache in the back of his head gradually dulled to numbness, and the ringing in his ears dissipated like echoes fading in a canyon. The careful, deliberate breathing of the large white creature filled the silent air. Zhao Minghe seemed frozen, unsure how to react. Luckily, the big cat didn’t attack again.

Pressing his temples, Lu Yao wiped the remaining darkness from his vision and finally saw what had struck him. The muscular feline had thick white fur patterned with regular rosettes. His broad, powerful paws and body nearly matched an adult human in length. His fluffy tail dragged behind him, almost as long as his body.

This was a snow leopard? Lu Yao had only seen this majestic predator, called the “King of the Snow Mountains,” in archived footage from ancient Earth. Official zoologists had claimed the species extinct due to drastic climate change and environmental degradation. Was the one before him a real snow leopard—or a human-engineered bionic animal?

He initially assumed he must be a mechanical replica of an extinct species. Yet this large snow leopard crouched in the corner, claws tucked, belly pressed to the floor, tail drooping, not daring to lift his head. His pale gray eyes cautiously watched him. He seemed afraid, perhaps a little aggrieved, even somewhat appeasing.

The predator, which should have razor-sharp claws and fangs, now looked pitiful, his tail tip trembling lightly. It was hard to believe a bionic animal’s facial controller could convey such a complex expression. If it were a robotic predator capable of leaping on strangers without warning, it likely would have already been hauled back to the factory for reprogramming.

Moreover, when he had pressed against him earlier, Lu Yao hadn’t felt the internal metallic skeleton typical of bionic animals. Though heavy, he was soft enough to be flesh and fur. Concluding this might be a real, large predatory feline, Lu Yao shifted his gaze to avoid provoking him.

He pressed himself against the wall, slowly rising. Zhao Minghe wanted to help, but catching a glimpse of the snow leopard’s sudden, cold alpha stare made him hesitate. Half a step forward, half a step back—he couldn’t decide whether to intervene.

When Lu Yao stole a quiet glance at the snow leopard, Zhao Minghe noticed he had returned to his innocent, non-aggressive expression. One face for humans, another for themselves. Zhao Minghe shook his head inwardly but kept a serious expression on his face. “Major General Lu, are you all right?”

Lu Yao shook his head. He had just fallen—nothing broken, nothing sprained. Still, Zhao Minghe remembered that Lu Yao had hit the back of his head with a loud, metallic thunk, like an iron pot striking the floor. It had been shocking, and he worried about the Federation’s most brilliant mind getting hurt. “Major General Lu, I suggest you see a doctor.”

“I’ll go on my own in a bit,” Lu Yao replied, not refusing outright. He glanced at the snow leopard, still lying quietly in the corner, showing no intention of fleeing or attacking again. Then he asked, “What were you trying to tell me earlier?”

“It’s about the divorce papers,” Zhao Minghe said. “The General had his lawyer draft an agreement. You can take a look.” Lu Yao accepted the document but didn’t open it immediately.

The room, which the snow leopard had earlier forced open, was still ajar. The hallway lights spilled in quietly. Lu Yao glanced at the nameplate on the door, then down at the snow leopard. “This snow leopard… belongs to General Zhou? A real snow leopard?”

“Yes… a real snow leopard,” Zhao Minghe stammered. Even though the General’s consciousness resided inside, from the outside he probably still counted as a true snow leopard.

“Where did he get a snow leopard? I thought this species was extinct.” Lu Yao noticed that Zhou Yunchen seemed to possess many unexpected things: first the experimental prototype TL01/01 that should have been destroyed, and now a species long thought extinct. He had always assumed Zhou Yunchen was someone who devoted himself entirely to war, with no extra hobbies—but that didn’t seem entirely accurate.

“He… was found by accident on an icy planet. He’s suspected to be a descendant of snow leopards transported from Earth during the early days of human space exploration.”

“He…” Lu Yao paused, choosing his words carefully. “He’s the General’s pet?”

“Not exactly,” Zhao Minghe admitted, unsure how to respond.

“Hmm… but he belongs to the General?”

“That’s correct.”

“Does he bite?”

“Uh…” Zhao Minghe felt a strange sensation. At that moment, he thought Lu Yao’s icy gaze was glinting with something almost eerie.

 

Author’s Note:

Snow leopard: wants to snuggle but doesn’t dare.

 

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