Reborn Cat Sheriff

Chapter 488 The Cat Returns Home
When Jiang Yiyi rushed out carrying Lin Ge in a panic, everyone was startled.

The cat lay motionless in the policewoman's arms, its limbs and tail drooping. This sight chilled everyone, and an ominous premonition immediately arose in their hearts.

"Don't panic!"

Mao Qixian scolded and walked over to Jiang Yiyi. He turned Lin Ge's body over, then touched the cat's eyelids, shook his head and laughed, "It's nothing, it's just asleep. This little guy... has been so tired and exhausted lately, it just fell asleep as soon as it relaxed here. Everyone, please be quiet and don't shout, let it get a good night's sleep! It's really been working hard these past few days. Hehe... more than twenty days without sleep, it's unbelievable."

"Was she really just asleep?"

Jiang Yiyi's heart was still pounding, and she looked down at the motionless cat in her arms with lingering fear. She had almost been scared out of her wits, especially when Mimi suddenly slumped over while walking, a moment that still terrified her. She truly had no idea that Mimi had persevered to such an extreme degree; otherwise, she would never have brought Mimi here to continue suffering.

"Don't worry! Once it's had a good sleep, it'll be lively and energetic again when it wakes up."

Mao Qixian wasn't angry at Jiang Yiyi's questioning; he just smiled faintly while inwardly feeling deeply moved. He truly hadn't expected a cat to achieve such a level of dedication on the front lines of the fight against the epidemic; its fighting spirit was even something that could shame others.

On the other hand, if even a cat can fight so hard for the victory against the epidemic, how can we humans be lazy or not do our best?

"Let Mimi rest well! While she's away, we'll keep a close watch on things and make sure no infected person enters Chu City! When she returns healthy, she'll see the same impregnable defense line waiting for her return!"

Wei Zhengxun spoke with emotion and made a guarantee in front of several leaders.

His words caused the others to frown slightly. Yang Xiaotong, in particular, looked at Wei Zhengxun and then at the cat in Jiang Yiyi's arms, her expression turning somewhat unpleasant. She silently walked over and took Lin Ge from him.

Without giving Mao Qixian any face, Yang Xiaotong carefully examined Lin Ge. She only breathed a sigh of relief after confirming that apart from his still slightly swollen tail, some muscle stiffness, and him sleeping like a log, he had no other problems.

Without waiting for anyone to speak, she picked up Lin Ge and walked straight to her car in the parking lot.

This unexpected scene left everyone stunned.

"Dr. Yang?"

Wei Zhengxun looked at Yang Xiaotong with a puzzled expression, not understanding what she was going to do without saying hello.

Yang Xiaotong turned her head back expressionlessly.

"The epidemic prevention work in Chu City is on track. With skilled epidemic prevention personnel and the test strips developed by Elder Mao and Elder Li, dealing with a few suspected cases is no problem. I think Mimi doesn't need to continue working so hard here. It should be sent back to its home in Zhang City to rest. As a meritorious animal, it needs to rest and gradually recover its energy, not continue to risk its life here. I don't think it's necessary for it to return to health. Mimi has already completed all its tasks. After all, it has already exhausted itself. What more can it do?"

Wei Zhengxun was taken aback, and hesitated for a long time before saying, "But... the airport still needs Mimi! After all, with the epidemic in the United States getting more and more serious, we need Mimi's help here to prevent even a single person from escaping! Dr. Yang, I don't think now is the time to be reckless. Right now, everyone is going all out and working together. It's not appropriate for you to let Mimi be a deserter, is it? Shouldn't we wait until Mimi wakes up and ask her opinion?"

"Of course I can make the decision for it, it's settled then. Yiyi, you take Mimi back to Zhang City, and bring that girl Li Siyu back with you too. Humph! Even the trainers and police cats have all fallen ill from the fight against the epidemic, isn't that enough hardship?"

Yang Xiaotong proudly raised her head.

"..."

Now no one could say anything to stop them. After all, everyone had seen the hard work that the cat and its trainer had put in these past few days, and it had indeed been very difficult for them.

As an outside support team, they've done this much; who has the right to criticize them?

Even Wei Zhengxun, who was extremely anxious, couldn't utter a single bad word at this moment. Although he was extremely worried that something might happen if Mimi was lost at the airport, he couldn't bring himself to say anything to firmly ask her to stay.

But... what will happen to the airport if Mimi just leaves like this?
To be honest, without Mimi, not only would Wei Zhengxun feel uneasy, but perhaps all the police officers and staff at the airport would feel guilty. Without this pillar of strength, can everything truly be kept in check?

If something goes wrong, who can bear the consequences and the responsibility?

Wei Zhengxun hesitated, wanting to try and persuade her again, but Yang Xiaotong ignored him. Under the bewildered gazes of everyone, Jiang Yiyi took the car keys from Yang Xiaotong, bowed solemnly to the crowd on either side, and drove off in a hurry.

Once the car disappeared from sight, the celebratory atmosphere at the scene inexplicably became somewhat awkward.

Yang Xiaotong remained calm and composed, and Mao Qixian and the old leader beside her showed no unusual expressions. A government leader chuckled and started a conversation, and the atmosphere warmed up again. However, everyone couldn't help but glance silently at Wei Zhengxun, who remained silent with his head down, and at Yang Xiaotong, who waved her hand in apology after Mao Qixian's praise, saying she felt ashamed for not making many contributions. For a moment, it was unclear which side had it the hardest.

Mao Laoming is clearly on Dr. Yang's side, so what can anyone say? As for Xiao Wei's matter, aren't there still so many police dogs and so many cats left behind by Mimi?

Speaking of cats, the government official in charge of the quarantine hotels laughed and said, "Actually, the hotels also have to thank Mimi. We are severely lacking in security. Although we have deployed police officers to these quarantine hotels, we only have one police dog. If it weren't for Mimi's cats guarding the area, things might have really gone wrong in the first few days. There was a restless person in quarantine who was causing trouble in the hotel and throwing things out of the window. If Mimi's cats hadn't noticed in time, who knows what might have happened! Of course, it was also our fault. We initially misjudged the level of danger of the epidemic and didn't completely seal the windows. Haha, we almost caused a major disaster."

"Both sides are cordoned off, so even if someone causes trouble, there won't be any hidden dangers. Of course, those cats did make a contribution, so the government should think of a way to reward them afterwards. We can't let these lovely heroes down."

The old leader knew that this person was trying to exonerate Wei Zhengxun, so he waved his hand and didn't give him a chance.

Seeing that everyone, including the leaders, seemed to feel guilty after Mimi left, he smiled and said, "Zhang City isn't far from Chu City; it's only a little over two hours by highway. If we really need Mimi's help, I believe she'll come immediately with just one phone call. As for now... if it's just a suspected case from the US, there's really no need for Mimi to continue working so hard. Let's wait and see! Let's wait and see."

He paused, then continued, "Respond normally at the airport. Arrange for replacements to take over for those who need rest. Let's prevent any more worrying incidents like Mimi's from happening again. Now that support has gathered in Chu City from all directions, I believe we have more manpower than before. Defending the airport defense line that Mimi has worked so hard to maintain shouldn't be a problem. Also, I'll contact the National Security Bureau later to see what the intelligence department has to say. If the terrorists really keep eye on Chu City, to be honest, we really can't do without Mimi's stabilizing force! Hehe... Dr. Yang, I'll have to ask you to put in a good word for Mimi and let her work hard for the people of Chu City one more time."

Several people nodded in agreement. At this point, even Yang Xiaotong couldn't say anything more and could only agree with her old leader's suggestion.

The slightly awkward situation passed by just like that.

Everyone remained confident and hopeful about the upcoming fight against the epidemic, and each person swore in person to resolutely protect the safety of the people of Chu City. ...

"Meow!~"

When the familiar yet somewhat unfamiliar meowing woke him up, Lin Ge was astonished to find himself inexplicably in the familiar cat house.

One second he was still in that quarantine hotel in Chu City, and the next second, all he could see was the huge head of the tabby cat. This sudden shift in time and space left Lin Ge stunned, and it took him a while to realize what had happened, leaving him speechless.

He just fainted from exhaustion once, so why was he sent straight back to Zhangzhou City?
"You're awake? Mimi, you've been sleeping for almost twenty hours straight, without even opening your eyes once. Even this little kitten, worried about you, kept meowing and babbling beside you for ages, but you didn't show the slightest sign of waking up. You're really sleeping soundly!"

Jiang Yiyi, dozing against the wall in the cat house, didn't even bother to clean the cat hair stuck in her hair. Although she wasn't as exhausted as Lin Ge, she had actually been working just as hard these past few days. Seeing Lin Ge blinking, still a little drowsy, she couldn't help but sigh, "To be honest, I really didn't expect Mimi to be this tired. When Sun Chang told me you hadn't slept for almost twenty days, I thought it was an exaggeration! It wasn't until Li Siyu explained in detail how hard you've worked and how you've persevered these past few days that I realized you've really been working your butt off, it's really been so tough for you. I'm sorry, Mimi, I haven't taken good care of you."

When Li Siyu was taking care of Mimi, she was fine; when Sun Chang was taking care of her, Mimi escaped unharmed; but when it was her turn, Mimi suddenly collapsed!
Thinking about this, Jiang Yiyi felt both fear and shame.

"Ah woo~"

Ignoring Jiang Yiyi's self-blame, Lin Ge opened his mouth wide and let out a super big and super long yawn. After the yawn was comfortable, he lazily climbed up from the cat mat, then slowly stretched his body and gave a super tense yawn.

That feels so damn good!
I've never felt so comfortable before!

I've never felt this way before; getting a good night's sleep is such a blissful thing.

All the fatigue, drowsiness, and discomfort in his body vanished completely. Lin Ge even felt like he could stay up for another twenty days, so he turned to look at Jiang Yiyi, asking with his eyes when they would start again.

"Where does that confidence in you that look like you're about to fight come from?"

Jiang Yiyi chuckled and shook her head, saying, "But there's no need. The airport is back on track, and you don't need to keep an eye on things like this. This morning, Old Mao brought out an experimental test strip; you just need to moisten it with saliva to check for viral infection. Plus, with so many police dogs guarding the area, don't worry, everything will be fine. They might be a little busy for now, but at least you don't need to be involved. You can take this opportunity to rest for a few more days."

Jiang Yiyi paused for a moment, then lowered her voice with concern and said, "Mimi, if I really still need your help, I don't want to see you collapse in front of me again. So you need to rest well and make sure you're completely healthy."

With a quick glance, Jiang Yiyi leaned closer and whispered, "Mimi, don't get it wrong, you're the cat from our Zhanghe Police Station! Let them handle the Chu City situation themselves, we'll just lend a hand! What's with you trying to become the pillar of the station? If something goes wrong, are you going to take the blame? To be honest, I think that Wei Zhengxun is really despicable. Chu City isn't short of people, why is he always acting like a coward? Doesn't he have any shame? If he can't handle the epidemic in Chu City, then he should find someone capable to do it! Treating a cat as a savior, that's all the ambition this guy has."

The thought that it was that bastard Wei Zhengxun who made her take Mimi to the quarantine hotel for testing made Jiang Yiyi furious.

"What you said may sound nice, but it's a bit much."

Lin Ge glanced at Jiang Yiyi, knowing that Wei Zhengxun was actually having a tough time. Leaving aside the immense pressure he was under, the fact that he had been working almost non-stop for so many days was quite telling.
At the airport, every trivial matter related to the epidemic, every detail of the arrangements and every personnel deployment, required his thorough understanding and meticulous planning. He had to make decisions on every matter, big or small. Every time he faced a choice between risk and safety, he had to issue orders and assume full responsibility. Over the past twenty days, Wei Zhengxun visibly lost weight rapidly, and on the last day, his eyes were sunken, and he looked so pitiful that even a cat would feel sorry for him.

Lin Ge couldn't imagine how nervous or even terrified he would be in Wei Zhengxun's position. When a cat sits at the service counter, it might just be doing some simple, straightforward work, but when an order concerns the safety of millions…

Lin Ge couldn't help but shiver.

"What's wrong? Are you still feeling unwell?"

Seeing Lin Ge writhing as if he were itching all over, Jiang Yiyi quickly stepped forward to help him scratch the itch.

As he was scratching, the house cats, hearing the commotion, all gathered around. The mother tortoiseshell and her kittens looked at Lin Ge with wide, concerned eyes, while the tabby and snowclaw kittens jumped and bounced excitedly. The two little rascals suddenly bumped into each other, then exchanged a glance and went into battle mode. They squatted face-to-face, their four front paws almost blurring into afterimages, their cat punches sending clumps of fur flying everywhere, leaving Lin Ge speechless.

Damn it! These two little rascals have ruined such a good atmosphere!

Lin Ge jumped up in annoyance and rushed to the little tabby and the snowclaw tabby, giving each of them a whack on the head. Caught off guard, the two little guys were thrown to the ground, their heads throbbing and staring blankly at each other.

Tsk!
The familiar smell of home!
Ignoring the two silly cats, Lin Ge looked around and sighed.

Roughly calculating, it had been almost two months since he'd last returned; time really flies. But the familiar environment of the cattery and the comforting scent quickly calmed his nerves, as if the smoke and aftershocks of the battle he'd brought back from Chu City were quietly dissipating. Lin Ge's ears twitched; he could even hear the rascal outside singing loudly. As the weather grew warmer, the rascal became increasingly active.

"Two months?"

Suddenly realizing he had overlooked something, Lin Ge tilted his head and looked around.

He saw the money tree hiding in its cat bed, its head buried and only its rear end and tail showing. He also saw several of its usual cats wandering around the yard, seemingly waving at him from afar. Furthermore, a deep sniff revealed that the familiar scent of everyone in the police station had become much fainter. Especially the scent of Nie Guoqiang and Zhao Zhigang, who had been assigned to Changshi, was somewhat fading, causing Lin Ge some concern.

The Tiger virus targets everyone equally; the only ones truly targeting Chu City are the terrorists.

With the rapid deterioration of the epidemic in the United States, and without domestic lockdowns or contact with the US, every airport with international flight qualifications will now face the threat of the Tiger virus from abroad. This includes not only the US and its neighboring countries, but also those countries whose epidemic prevention measures are not perfect and whose defenses have been breached as the virus spreads. At that time, the pressure on domestic entities trying to protect their citizens and ensure the safety of their citizens, as well as on all international transportation hubs, will be unimaginable. Even if leaders like Mao, Li, Yang, and Xiaotong can develop reliable testing equipment, the principle of prevention is worse than cure… history has taught us that defense cannot last forever!

Lin Ge didn't know how long it would take for a virus immunotherapy drug to be truly developed, produced, and made available to the entire nation. He also didn't know if all the domestic checkpoints could hold out until then without collapsing.

But Lin Ge understood one thing: now was not the time for him to rest in peace!
"Hmm... I should rest for a couple of days. After all, I can't really risk my life to fight to the death! And even if I could fight to the death and had nine lives to spare, it's not a good thing to keep sacrificing my human."

Lin Ge glanced at Jiang Yiyi guiltily.

(End of this chapter)