A Baby Cat Who Commands the Dog Clan - Chapter 201

—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————

Chapter 201
* * *
“You’re a genius, a real genius!”
The long day had finally come to an end.
Hong Seol, Dang Yi Woon, and Mu Yeop had returned to the Monk’s Quarters and were chatting away contentedly.
In particular, Mu Yeop’s mouth seemed never to tire of praising Hong Seol.
“I’ve, I’ve truly never seen dumplings like that before!”
Instead of dumpling wrappers made from soiled dough, what Hong Seol had brought was ‘tofu skin’.
Tofu skin was made by thinly slicing tofu, and temples commonly used it in place of meat to provide texture.
“And using water spinach to seal the dumplings was brilliant!”
The tofu skin lacked the stickiness needed to seal dumplings like traditional wrappers could.
So Hong Seol had lightly blanched water spinach and used it like twine to tie the dumplings closed.
The pale golden tofu skin paired with the vibrant green water spinach looked quite beautiful, even to her eye.
‘The fact that it earned praise from Ha Dae In, who had been suffering from stomach ailments, was purely coincidence.’
Hong Seol stuck out her pink tongue playfully.
No matter how much he thought about it, Mu Yeop’s amazement showed no signs of fading.
“How, how did you ever come up with such a creative idea?”
“Hehe…”
Hong Seol simply laughed.
In truth, the tofu skin dumplings were one of the creations of Lady Lee, who worked in the Kitchen at Chang Cheon Pavilion.
‘Since it was made for Baek Elder Brother, who has such particular tastes, the praise belongs to him as well.’
Suddenly, she found herself missing Baek Elder Brother unbearably.
It had been a long time since she’d seen his face, even when they were living in the same house.
‘I need to find the Golden Cat Sect quickly and return. Then Elder Brother will be able to put his mind at ease.’
It was just as Hong Seol renewed her resolve.
“T, tomorrow is already the Ullambana Festival.”
At Mu Yeop’s words, Dang Yi Woon replied indifferently.
“Then we’ll be parting ways soon. Mu Yeop, are you planning to return to your parents?”
At that, Mu Yeop suddenly hung his head low.
“N, no. I don’t have parents…”
At those words, Hong Seol’s heart ached sharply.
In a way, wasn’t she in the same situation as Mu Yeop?
While she could not compromise on finding the Golden Cat Sect, she deeply wished for Mu Yeop to find happiness as well.
“S, so that’s why I came to Shaolin to work during the Ullambana Festival.”
“To make offerings for your parents?”
At Dang Yi Woon’s question, Mu Yeop nodded.
“Y, yes. And since it’s the Ullambana Festival, I’m thinking of doing some animal release as well.”
“Animal release?”
At the unfamiliar term, Hong Seol’s ears perked up.
“Y, yes. It’s when you save animals that are facing death. That way, you accumulate merit for the deceased.”
“I see….”
Perhaps I should perform a release ceremony for my departed parents as well?
Even though I’ve never seen their faces.
Hong Seol fell silent in thought for a moment.
“Do we have any?”
Again.
Following yesterday’s pattern, Won Mok’s voice came from outside the door.
Moments later, Hong Seol returned with a bewildered expression, holding a chipped ceramic bowl.
Inside were small melon-shaped candies—tanggua—packed full.
Again, there was no sign of snacks being eaten in any other room.
‘Why does the Dining Hall Master only bring snacks to our room?’
But Mu Yeop seemed unwilling to dwell on it deeply.
He was simply delighted, eagerly shoveling the tanggua into his mouth.
Watching him, Hong Seol sent a telepathic message to Dang Yi Woon.
-Elder Brother, that one!
Immediately grasping Hong Seol’s intent, Dang Yi Woon brought the rice cake she had left uneaten yesterday and offered it.
“Mu Yeop, Furry says you should eat this too.”
Mu Yeop’s eyes widened.
“R-really? I-I can eat all of this? All of it, Furry?”
“Of course. You must have been startled by what happened earlier. Please, eat plenty.”
Hong Seol smiled kindly, her eyes crinkling at the corners.
On the surface, her smile was gentle, but inwardly, her conscience pricked sharply.
‘If you eat that now, you won’t wake until tomorrow morning….’
Because that rice cake contained the ‘Slumber Powder’ made by the Sichuan Tang Family.
There was no help for the guilt.
‘For Baek Elder Brother’s sake, to obtain the Golden Cat Sect! I’ll do anything.’
And time passed.
Snoooore—.
Mu Yeop’s head drooped onto the table as he fell asleep.
“Hey, sleep on the bed instead.”
Dang Yi Woon kicked his shin several times with his foot, but there was no response.
“Is he… all right?”
At that, Dang Yi Woon shrugged.
“The medicine has no side effects, so don’t worry. He’s simply in a deep sleep.”
Only then did Hong Seol feel somewhat reassured.
Hong Seol rose and stretched her arms wide into the air, loosening her body.
Then, smiling brightly, she spoke.
“Well then, shall we go retrieve the Golden Cat Sect?”
* * *
Late into the night.
Won Mok, the Dining Hall keeper, was taking a stroll through the Sect Grounds.
‘Sleep eludes me tonight….’
No, it wasn’t just tonight.
For the past several days, I hadn’t been sleeping properly.
It started after I saw that scarred mercenary boy.
When I first laid eyes on him, my heart truly lurched.
Perhaps it was because of the similar scar on his face.
Every time I saw that scarred boy, memories of the child I had raised came flooding back.
‘Jin Mok, you wretched thing, where are you now and what are you doing…. Has the rumor truly come to pass—have you really sought refuge with the Demonic Cult.’
That child, Jin Mok, had been abandoned by his mother when he was still nursing.
Wrapped in swaddling clothes, he lay before the Shaolin Temple Gate, and beside the infant was a hastily scrawled letter.
“A child born from an Arhat Monk and a courtesan’s illicit union! So there is one at Shaolin who has broken the precept of chastity!”
The Abbot had raged, but in the end, the identity of the child’s father was never revealed.
“Abbot, elder brother, if you will permit it, I shall take this child and raise him myself.”
I carefully fed the abandoned infant millet porridge that I had prepared with my own hands, nurturing him with devoted care.
And I gave him the name ‘Jin Mok,’ matching it to my own dharma name.
For me, an orphan who had never known a family with a shared surname in all my life, Jin Mok was a great comfort.
I had hoped that as Jin Mok grew, he would take monastic vows as I had done.
But as time passed, Jin Mok could scarcely become a true member of Shaolin.
“The son of a rule-breaking monk!”
“The filthy spawn of a courtesan!”
One day, after living with constant whispers and pointed fingers, Jin Mok finally fled Shaolin.
That had been five years ago.
“…If he were alive, surely he would send word.”
The old monk was startled by words that had escaped his own lips unbidden.
“To think that one who follows the Buddha’s law would cling so to human sentiment… Namo Amitabha Buddha.”
Won Mok, having taken the Buddhist name, muttered bitterly to himself.
“Yet even the Buddha wept and grieved before the death of his disciple, so surely he would understand this old monk’s heart….”
So, Buddha.
Please look upon me with compassion.
‘Grant me the chance to see Jin Mok once more before I pass from this world.’
It was at the moment when Won Mok raised one hand in half-palm salute.
A strange sight unfolded before his eyes.
Meow!
Sssssss.
It was a young serpent and a kitten crossing the Sect Grounds together in perfect harmony.
Both were so beautiful it was almost unbelievable.
The young serpent, brilliant white across its entire body, reflected the five colors of light from its scales with every movement.
The kitten, still covered in downy fur, possessed eyes as blue as precious gems.
Won Mok could not believe his own eyes.
“Is this a dream, or reality?”
No matter how many times I rubbed my eyes and looked, the astonishment remained the same.
Creatures that were natural enemies to one another walked side by side like companions.
As though they had somewhere to be. And ahead of them…
The Dining Hall that Won Mok oversaw came into view.
And it was brimming with offerings prepared for the Ullambana Festival!
‘Could these wretches have conspired to steal food?!’
Won Mok didn’t hesitate to scold them.
“You little beasts!”
“Meow?”
At that, the cat’s front paws, which had been trotting along, suddenly froze in mid-air.
* * *
‘Should I run?!’
Hong Seol’s courage shrank to a pea as I hesitated with my front paws raised.
Of all times, to be caught by the Dining Hall keeper on the way to the Dining Hall!
-Elder Brother, let’s bolt!
In an instant, the snake and cat exchanged glances and nodded, then bolted forward without hesitation.
Patter-patter-patter!
Whoosh!
‘Did I shake him off?’
Hong Seol glanced back cautiously, and my tail puffed up with a pop!

—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————