The Perfect Path To Insanity-Chapter 47: A Place To Call Home?

Fei Ming turned into the narrow side alley.

His black cloak still hung on his shoulders.

He had pulled the hood low enough to shadow his face. After General Bai’s negotiation, things may start to work in his favour soon.

Although, many things bothered him. Like how the cost to his Insanity Path was an emotion-sucking monster. So far, he had no ’insanity’ symptoms like that of a deranged mad man.

But he noticed a little few things.

General Bai calling him ’worthless’ doesn’t sting as much as he thought. That word almost sounded empty to him now.

And his curiosity to ask was starting to fade. Now, he couldn’t care less what Helena’s Path was.

And his recent hollow victory...

’Why?’

All those thoughts got pushed back when Justice’ small orange head poked out of his cloak.

His furry ears twitched at every distant sound. The cat’s sniffed the air, his whiskers quivering toward the faint smell of dried fish from the treats Fei Ming had bought minutes earlier.

"Finally! Food! Something to eat alas!" He couldn’t hold his excitement.

Soon, Fei Ming found a corner where two crumbling walls met. No eyes from the main road could reach here.

Lowering himself to the ground with his back against the stone and legs stretched out, Justice climbed onto his lap in one smooth leap.

’He’s warm,’ Fei Ming thought. ’Soft.’

Dust clung to the cloak’s hem.

His ginger kitten already salivating. "My treat! Give ’em to me!"

Fei Ming reached inside the cloak. "Stop taking your claws in my skin."

He searched the inner seam of his cloak.

There was nothing there.

Then he rummaged though the outer. Nothing.

’What?’

Justice side eyed him. "Why u moving like that? My snack. Give em."

Rolling his eyes at the kitty, he patted the side pockets, then the belt pouch.

It was empty.

Even his coins were nowhere to be seen. ’Have I been robbed?"

Down to his last penny, everything was gone too.

Justice froze. Ears flattened, his amber eyes widened.

Fateless sighed. It wasn’t like he could turn back time to stop whoever had ’robbed’ him. Unless, he had misplaced them himself. "I lost them."

Justice’s tail flicked. A low whine started in his throat, building fast.

The cat scrambled off his lap, paws scrabbling on the dirt. He spun in a tight circle, nose to the ground, sniffing frantically. The whine turned sharp, almost a yowl.

"You lost them?" Justice’s voice cracked high. "The treats? My treats? You said— you promised—"

Fei Ming raised one hand much to his defence. "Calm down."

Justice ignored him. The cat paced three steps left, three right. His tail puffed thick.

Who knew such kitten could whine and throw a tantrum like a child?

"I’m starving. Starving! You lost everything?! 48 hours in your inventory and... and now nothing? Nothing! I can smell them still—fish, dried, crunchy. But it’s gone! Gone because you can’t watch your own pockets!"

Fei Ming watched the cat spiral. "That’s a lot of words, Justice," he said.

Justice’s paws dug small furrows in the dirt.

Actual tears glistened at the corners of his eyes. The cat sat hard on his haunches, front paws covering his face.

Fei Ming leaned forward. Extending his ffingers to him for comfort. He scratched lightly behind Justice’s left ear.

"Don’t touch me! I’m mad. I’m angry!" The cat flinched at first, but after several seconds of thrashing around, he later leaned into it despite himself.

"I’ll buy more," Fei Ming said with his voice evenly monotone. "Soon as we move."

Justice peeked through his paws. Sniffing once, he added. "You have no coins left. You said that was the last."

"It will be alright."

After the conversation with General Bai, things could change and work for the better for him. Using the spreading plague as leverage put him on a much clearer advantage. In no time, the Krats would have to dissolve this bounty issue.

Although him saying he was the only one with the cure was a bit of a stretch. Other surviving players of the Game could have gotten the same prize as him. But the Krats’ General doesn’t know that, does he?

Justice lowered his paws. Ears stayed half-flat. "And until then? I starve? Why were you in chains and in prison, too? Did they catch you killing?"

Fei Ming didn’t give an answer right away.

He looked past the alley mouth, toward the gray haze of the main street.

He had no place to sleep. Nor a place to rest his head and call home.

Had He ever had anywhere to call home?

Still, with the current situation, he would have to find a stable roof.

The prophecy from the Wrath worshippers nagged at the back of his mind.

Who knew what rubbish that hateful cosmic slug had declared about him?

Who knew what idiot would come chasing after him to win a god’s approval?

What if his so-called prophecy was something that could lead to his downfall?

He was even yet to reach a high ladder. The Immortality ladder he had to climb to spite these Forces.

’Who dares try to write my future? I am yet to reach my goal and these slugs keep pushing me down.’

His hatred burned for them.

He needed combat. He had none worth the name.

What if he were to meet an opponent stronger then him? It was better he start planning ahead. Dodging and running kept him alive so far, but that would end eventually.

His fingers moved to the air in front of him. A faint blue screen flickered open, dim in the alley shade.

[Total Cores Absorbed: 22!]

He scrolled down. The prizes from Zombieland listed out. His eyes stopped on the B-tier game core.

Fei Ming tapped it.

Flash!

[Your Item ’B-tier Game Core’ Is Being Taken Out Of Your Inventory!]

A bluish-black orb materialized in his palm. No bigger than a large marble. Its surface swirled slowly, the colours mixing together , but not quite. It was like oil on water. Cold to the touch, and fascinated by how it looked, he held it out toward Justice.

If he couldn’t absorb Game cores, then this fucking cat who gobbled down his Carnival game prize, could.

Justice inclined his head. "What z hell now?"

"Eat," Fei Ming said.

Justice leaned back. Stucking his pink tongue out, he grimaced, "Bleh. No."

"You ate my S-tier game core fine. Eat."

"That was shiny. This looks sick and dirty. No."

"Eat it."

Justice scooted another inch away. "Yuck. Do not force me. Can’t you sell it? Get coins? Food? Actual food?"

Fei Ming stared at the orb. Then at Justice. The cat’s judgemental eyes flicked between the core and his face.

A small simple idea formed. How had he not taught about this sooner?

Fei Ming closed his fingers around the orb.

He looked at Justice again. The cat’s ears perked just a fraction, wary of what this man thought about.

"You just made a small smiley face. I hate it," Justice smacked his tongue. "What are u thinking about? You finally had enough of your worn out sandals? Or no?"