The Unlucky Black Cat

If I could, I would become a cat... Lately, Jiang Sheng often thought about this for no particular reason. There was no compelling cause; the idea just popped into his head, and then various thoughts emerged. Was he that fond of cats? Not really. He just didn't dislike them. He didn't mind their elegance and laziness, their free and easy lifestyle. Perhaps it was on a sweltering summer afternoon. As Jiang Sheng walked down the street, he inadvertently saw a black cat lying by the roadside, dozing and flicking its tail. At that moment, the thought of becoming a cat took root and began to grow. Yes, I genuinely want to become a cat, to live as they do, coldly and calmly. Indifferent, yet unrestrained. Jiang Sheng affirmed this to himself. In the evening, under the crimson glow of the setting sun, the black cat perhaps sensed something and opened its golden eyes, locking gazes with the person standing in front of it for a while. Then it meowed, turned its head, and gracefully jumped into the fence by the street. Without chasing after the cat, Jiang Sheng stood by the road and lowered his head. He looked at his shadow on the ground, then turned around, seemingly lost in deep thought, and continued walking home. Perhaps because what he was thinking about was so significant, he became deeply engrossed. So much so that he did not even notice the car coming from across the street. And just like a plot in a novel, the vehicle lost control. Jiang Sheng's body flew into the air like a rag doll. Screams, chaos, screeching brakes echoed in his ears. With a blank expression, he gazed at the sky above him, feeling his body soaring high and the intense pain spreading throughout his body. In that moment, time seemed unusually long. The clouds appeared to be receding with the wind. He felt like he was falling from a great height into the depths of the sea, and then from the depths back into the sky. The sensation of weightlessness made him increasingly calm until he slowly lost consciousness. Afterward. When Jiang Sheng woke up again. He found himself transformed into a cat in an inexplicable and unbelievable way. Yes. Jiang Sheng had become a black cat. ... In the sky, wispy clouds drifted leisurely, obscuring the light blue horizon, making it hard to see the serene mystery beyond. Warm yellow sunlight bathed the streets, accompanied by a gentle spring breeze, filling people with joy. Shadows of trees swayed along the roadside, rustling softly with the green leaves. A sparrow folded its wings and perched on a branch that had just sprouted new buds, grooming its feathers with its tiny beak. In front of the bench where passersby rested, all was quiet. The metal bench, warmed by the sun, invited a brief rest. At that moment, a black cat lay on such a bench, yawning lazily. Swinging its tail back and forth. The black cat's name was Jiang Sheng. It had been in this world for three months... Up until now, Jiang Sheng had not figured out how he ended up here or why he became a cat. The only thing he was certain of was that this place was similar to his previous life's parallel universe. Their technological levels, international situations, and geographical features were basically the same. However, there were still differences in cultural products and some social details. Undoubtedly, the current Jiang Sheng was quite lost regarding his present situation and future goals. After all, he had become a cat, one that no longer needed to plan or write reports. But without a doubt, he also enjoyed and relished this life. Jiang Sheng was someone used to aimlessness. Or rather, he was someone used to going with the flow. Jiang Sheng disliked struggling, possibly due to his upbringing, which shaped his character. He was good at accepting "fate's" arrangements, believing that everything has its own logic. Thus, he did not mind losing his human body or the relatively short lifespan of a cat. Moreover, becoming a cat was his last wish before he died in his previous life.It had already gotten what it wished for, so what was there to complain about? With this thought, Jiang Sheng's tail, hanging behind him, swayed even more lazily. He rested his chin on his crossed front paws, feeling the warmth of the sun gradually heating up the fur on his back. Everything seemed so peaceful; he was now a "resident" of some park. Resting during the day and wandering through the city at night in search of somewhat clean food. Life was supposed to continue like this. At least in Jiang Sheng's own expectations, he would continue living this way forever. But today seemed destined to be an extraordinary day for him. Just like the day he died as a human in his previous life, it carried a sense of predestined fate. ... Jiang Sheng saw a disoriented white figure at a moment when he slowly opened his eyes. Saying that the other was a white figure might not be quite accurate, because the thing itself emitted light. Even if it was just a faint glow, it was enough to prove that its existence wasn't just a shadow. The sunlight remained bright, but the scene before him seemed somewhat unreal. Because in a rational world, what Jiang Sheng was seeing shouldn't exist. It was a white, ethereal sphere. It felt very light and unreal, as if it had life but lacked any characteristics of life. And the reason Jiang Sheng perceived it as a disoriented "sphere" was entirely based on his own subjective feelings. Yes, the "sphere" itself couldn't express any emotions. It had no face, no eyes, and no mouth. But at this moment, Jiang Sheng was particularly aware that he could sense the other's "mood." Without clear reasons, just a feeling. As if empathizing, by merely observing the other, he truly felt its inner confusion and a certain unreleased sorrow. What was that thing? In Jiang Sheng's limited understanding, he had never seen anything like this "sphere." This made him very curious, yet without any fear. It might be due to a cat's nature. Or perhaps his much sharper intuition was telling him that the thing posed no threat. So after observing for a moment, Jiang Sheng slowly stood up from the chair. He then took silent steps toward the "sphere." A cat's gait is always so agile; even without intentionally being stealthy, his movements were still hidden. The distance between them grew closer, and the translucent white light sphere seemed unaware of Jiang Sheng. It just floated beside the park's path, wandering alone. Driven by the subtle intuition, after a few moments, Jiang Sheng, who had already walked under the "sphere," decided to try communicating with it using sound. "Meow." So he checked his surroundings, ensuring an escape route in case something unexpected happened. Then he lifted his neck and let out a moderate call towards the "sphere." Unfortunately, his voice didn't catch the other's attention. Or rather, the other might not have hearing at all. Essentially, it wasn't an object capable of communication. After all, up to this point, Jiang Sheng had only been making assumptions. He believed the "sphere" was conscious. And the basis for this belief was simply a subconscious judgment that couldn't be explained rationally. Therefore, this theory was clearly unreliable and unconvincing, even failing to stand up to his own scrutiny. Yet, Jiang Sheng's unusual feeling grew stronger. He could feel that the floating "white sphere" was emitting a strong emotion. This emotion felt like a large hand choking Jiang Sheng, preventing him from leaving. In fact, Jiang Sheng wasn't one to meddle in others' affairs. According to his usual habits, he wouldn't pay attention to such strange events. Nor would he be so captivated by the other that he couldn't think of anything else. How sad... However, under the emotions radiating from the "sphere," Jiang Sheng ended up sitting dazedly by the roadside. Looking up at the spot where the other was located, in front of a big tree. Several passersby walked past him, curiously glancing at this oddly behaving black cat. They obviously couldn't see the "sphere," so they didn't worry much. The park, in their eyes, remained as ordinary and warm as ever. Therefore, although they were somewhat puzzled, no one chose to stop and observe, continuing on with their lives.I want to change something... This thought suddenly appeared in Jiang Sheng's mind. It was undoubtedly not Jiang Sheng's own idea, but one that had been influenced by others. Still, Jiang Sheng involuntarily extended its paw. As the "white ball" noticed its approach and slowly descended toward it, the black cat, in a seemingly eye-to-eye silence, touched the "white ball." And finally, it lost consciousness completely. ... When Jiang Sheng woke up again, the sky had turned dark. It found itself lying on the park's grass, with stars twinkling in the night sky and insects chirping in the bushes. The scenery was peaceful and serene, as if nothing had happened before; it seemed like it had just taken a nap. But Jiang Sheng knew it had indeed experienced something, and it also clearly understood the origin of the previous "white ball." Because during the time it was "unconscious," it received the "white ball's" memories. Throughout this process, its mind remained clear. Lacking control over its body even allowed Jiang Sheng to think more purely. By now, it had tried to draw some reasonable conclusions. To put it simply, these conclusions were not complex. Summarized, they could be boiled down to just a few sentences. First: The existence of the "white ball" is likely what humans perceive as ghosts or spirits—residual entities formed after death. Second: The reason why the "white ball" lingered in the park was due to unfulfilled wishes from its past life. Hence, it transformed into the form Jiang Sheng saw and stayed there, unwilling to leave. Third: Ordinary people seem unable to see such spirits. Fourth: Perhaps because of being a cat, or for some other reason, it can see these lingering spirits. It can even absorb them through touch, gaining some of their memories. Moreover, after absorbing a certain amount of spirits, its body undergoes inexplicable changes, enhancing its physical abilities without altering its outward appearance. For instance, right now. If the original Jiang Sheng was just an ordinary stray cat, then now, it has undoubtedly become an extraordinarily strong stray cat. While still within the realm of cats, its physical capabilities have surpassed those of common small felines and reached the level of most medium-sized felines. For example: servals, caracals, etc. In a complete ecosystem, it feels capable of attempting to hunt medium-sized hoofed animals. Currently, this is all the information available. Whether other cats can see spirits or if there are malevolent spirits and monsters in this world, Jiang Sheng does not know. In fact, it doesn't care to think about it. As it believes, it is exceptionally good at accepting things. The phrase "content with the present" almost defines Jiang Sheng's nature. Thus, no matter how bad the situation, it can accept it calmly, much like its calm demeanor when facing death in its previous life. Jiang Sheng neither resents nor worries. Moreover, since its current situation is quite good, why should it think too much? However... Slowly standing up from the grass, Jiang Sheng clumsily maneuvered its now "ferocious" body and turned to look at the large tree in the park. Its pair of golden eyes flickered thoughtfully. Since I have received your gift, I will take responsibility for fulfilling your wish.