Peking Opera Cat: I Became A Zi's Brother

In that quiet valley, the fragrance of flowers fills the air, and the gentle breeze brings wisps of fragrance.

"Hmm~"

On a flat ground in the valley, there is an ancient stone table. On both sides of the stone table, a mouse with a sturdy figure but exuding a calm aura and a cat wearing a mask sit on the two sides of the stone table, playing Go attentively.

"Snapped!"

On the chessboard, the black pieces are like a surging tide, occupying a large area of the chessboard, while the white pieces are like a lone boat drifting in the wind and rain, few in number and in danger.

Beside the stone table, a girl in plain clothes was meditating with her eyes closed.

Her long hair flowed down her back like black satin, and her fair face was delicately painted. Occasionally, she would slowly open her eyes, which were like clear spring water, revealing agility and wisdom.

"Hmm~"

Her gaze was cast towards the chessboard, with a hint of concern and thought in her eyes, as if she could glimpse the mysteries of the world from the crisscrossing of the black and white chess pieces.

"Ugh……"

The Valley Master stood quietly by, his eyes also fixed on the chessboard, his expression solemn.

"This situation is too dangerous for them."

The Valley Master frowned slightly and spoke softly, his voice full of worry.

The mouse, which had been silent all this time, suddenly stretched out its front paw, picked up a white chess piece, and hovered it in the air for a long time, unable to drop it, as if this small chess piece was carrying a heavy burden.

"Is there really no other way?"

The mouse's voice was hoarse and anxious.

The masked butler calmly stretched out his claws and dropped a black piece. The piece touched the chessboard, making a crisp sound that echoed in the quiet valley, like a heavy alarm bell.

"What is to come will eventually come. The moment they set foot on that road, the gears of fate began to turn. Everything is predetermined."

Its voice was low and calm, revealing unquestionable power.

At this time, the girl Mingyue opened her eyes and said softly:

"Valley Master, Senior, perhaps... there is another twist in this.

” Her voice was soft, but it had a power that calmed the cat.

"Oh?"

The Valley Master and Senior Mouse looked at Mingyue at the same time, with a hint of expectation in their eyes.

Mingyue stretched out her finger and gently tapped the chessboard, pointing to three adjacent pieces.

"Look, these three chess pieces, one is white, two are black... No, there should be two, one black and one white. Who put this black piece here?"

She frowned slightly, her eyes full of doubts.

"According to the original situation, this black spot shouldn't be here. Its existence has disrupted a delicate balance. Perhaps... this is where the variable lies."

"Hmm? I haven't noticed it yet."

Senior Mouse followed Mingyue's finger and his originally irritated expression was gradually replaced by contemplation.

"So you're saying this 'accidental' chess piece is related to them in the cave?"

"Yes, Senior!"

Mingyue nodded slightly.

"The black and white chess pieces symbolize the balance of yin and yang, the struggle between good and evil. Now, this black piece, which shouldn't have appeared, has intruded into the predetermined trajectory of fate like a variable. Perhaps, those in the cave have also found an opportunity to break out of their predicament."

A glimmer of hope flashed in the eyes of the Valley Master.

"But what exactly is this opportunity? They are in the cave, buried by falling rocks, and their lives are uncertain. I really..."

The Valley Master came over and placed another piece. The black piece on the chessboard ate up another piece of white pieces.

"Although you and I are powerful, we cannot violate the laws of heaven and earth. They must inspire their own strength."

The mouse elder stood up and paced back and forth.

"Rules, rules. Am I just going to watch them get swallowed by the rules? I can't do that!"

It stopped and looked towards the cave with a firm look in its eyes.

"I'm going to help them."

"No!"

The steward also stood up,

"If you go, the broken balance will trigger a greater crisis. By then, not only them, but the entire Cat Land will be plunged into disaster."

Mingyue also stood up and walked to Senior Mouse.

"Senior, please wait a little longer. Look at this chess game. Although the white pieces are weak, they still have a chance. I believe the same is true for them. As long as their faith remains, a turning point will always appear."

Senior Mouse looked at the chessboard, then looked into the distance, hesitated for a moment, and slowly sat down.

"Okay, I'll wait a little longer. But if they really can't hold on..."

It didn't finish its words, but just stared at the chessboard, as if it wanted to use its eyes to give strength to the white pieces.

In the valley, the breeze still blew gently, and the flowers and plants still swayed, but the tense atmosphere became more and more intense. Every second seemed like torture. The three creatures were waiting, waiting for a possible turn of events, waiting for the gears of fate in the cave to turn again.

"boom……"

At this moment, the chessboard, which had been placed steadily, began to shake without warning, and the chess pieces on the table trembled slightly.

The Valley Master, Senior Lao Shu, and Mingyue were instantly alert, their eyes all fixed on the chessboard.

A tiny crack slowly appeared on the crucial white piece that Mingyue had pointed out. This crack, like a crack, spread across the chess piece, as if it would completely shatter in the next moment.

Senior Mouse's claws unconsciously gripped the ground, his eyes filled with shock and worry.

"What...what's going on? Has the situation in the cave deteriorated to its extreme?"

The steward's eyes also became serious, staring closely at the white piece.

"This chess piece symbolizes their hope. Now that it has changed like this, I'm afraid..."

Mingyue clenched her hands tightly, frowning.

"Seniors, does this mean that they are on the verge of life and death, and that even this chess piece that symbolizes their fate is about to be shattered?"

The Valley Master took a deep breath and tried to calm himself down.

"No, this might also be a sign. Since this chess piece has shown signs of change before, perhaps the cracks now are a reflection of their struggle in desperation, their efforts to break this seemingly predetermined fate."

"boom……"

The chessboard shook more and more violently, and the gap between the white pieces became more and more obvious, as if silently telling the difficult situation of the companions in the cave.

At the same time, the ground beneath their feet began to shake slightly, and the birds in the valley were startled and began to chirp.

The fragrance of the flowers seemed to become disordered in the vibration, and the flowers and plants swayed even more violently.

Senior Mouse stumbled and nearly fell. He steadied himself and looked around in shock.

"Oh no! The entire valley is shaking! Could it be that the crisis in the cave has triggered such a severe chain reaction?"

The Valley Master's face was solemn, his feet firmly planted on the ground.

"This tremor is definitely not ordinary. It seems the predicament in the cave has seriously affected the balance of this world. The changes in the white seed and the tremors in the valley all indicate that their situation is extremely critical."

Mingyue's body swayed slightly in the vibration. She tried to stand firm, her eyes full of worry and determination:

"Seniors, we can't just sit there and wait like this any longer. No matter what the rules are, we must find a way. Even if there's only a glimmer of hope, we can't give up on them."