Chapter 46
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 46
Chapter Title: The Mayor and Diagnosis
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Days had passed.
The world was still obsessed with my cat—no, the guardian deity of City Hall, Nero.
But I couldn't laugh.
No, laughter wouldn't come. How could it?
I'm living under the same roof as a monster that toys with dump trucks like balls of fluff.
After that day, I flipped my attitude toward Nero 180 degrees—no, 360, no, like a whirlwind spin kick.
I offered top-grade churu as tribute, played with him using a golden fishing rod, and even when he claimed the center of the bed, I huddled in the corner without a single complaint.
Why the hell am I living like this? What kind of creature is that thing?
To dig into the root of this tragedy, I headed back to the Catopia-affiliated animal hospital.
"Hmm. Hello, Mayor. Seeing you again."
The very veterinarian who'd handled Nero's first health checkup.
The guy with the lofty title of Neo Incheon's premier animal medical expert, drawing a paycheck from the city coffers.
What exactly made him the best? Skills? Or salary?
Corporate drones spot their own kind.
Look at those eyes. Pure office zombie glare.
No spark of life, just surviving off the twin beacons of quitting time and payday—a modern societal undead.
Eyes like mine.
What'd this guy even do last time?
Said Nero was just your standard tricolor tomcat? Rare, sure, but nothing more?
What normal cat totals a 15-ton truck with one kitty punch?
"Diagnosis results out yet?"
"Mayor, this cat isn't just any cat. It's a superpowered cat."
"Wow. Groundbreaking find. Officially confirming what every five-year-old in Neo Incheon already knows. Thanks a ton."
My sarcasm bounced right off him; he kept his steady rhythm.
Classic corporate drone trait: steel mentality shrugging off most barbs.
"Incredible. Truly incredible."
"What's incredible now? Yeah, our Nero's cute as hell."
"Beyond cute, Mayor. This cat's tissues... stretch and harden at will, even adjust density. Gooey liquid one moment, harder than diamond the next."
What? Our Nero's no slime.
"Setting aside obvious superpowers like body morphing or gigantification, the muscle tissue's molecular elasticity defies imagination. Bone density's off the charts too. This goes beyond mere mutation. Especially... this pattern at the cellular level screams artificial modification."
Artificial modification?
The words slammed into my brain.
"So Nero's not just a cat—he's a mutant cat. Cyborg kitty. Robocat. Fur-minator... that kinda deal?"
Superpowered cat... Was that in the original story?
The vet pulled up data on his tablet, crammed with graphs and equations.
"But here's the kicker: Nero's powers are remarkably stable."
"Stable? Meaning what? Sounds like unstable's the norm."
"Spot on. Animals can have superpowers, sure. But lab-injected or modded ones? Total wrecks. Bodies crumple under the strain, minds snap and rampage—that's the script. Nero? Rock solid."
The vet adjusted his glasses, adding a smidge of pro vibe.
"My take? Your devoted care's the key, Mayor."
"...Huh?"
"Superpowers thrive on mind-body harmony. Test subjects? Total imbalance. But your daily gourmet meals, playtime galore, zero-stress setup. And most of all..."
The vet fixed me with a stare.
"Your genuine affection stabilized his psyche. Powers only bloom right when the inner self's ironclad."
"Nah, he just eats well, sleeps sound—built sturdy."
I mean, I petted 'cause cute, played 'cause bored.
"That's part of it, but mental stability's core. Catopia's setup helped too. Buddies by the hundreds, exercise spots, territory vibes satisfied. Your design? Masterstroke."
No, I built that tax sink to get impeached. What does he think I am?
"And the smoking gun."
Dr. Kim tweezed a speck into a clear case and offered it up.
Black fleck tinier than rice.
"What's this? Flea?"
Seria, sidling up, took the case.
"An object as minuscule as the Mayor's brain cells."
"Microchip from under Nero's scruff skin."
Chip? Like poker chip? Casino marker?
Nero hitting the casino nights, playing high-stakes with shark cats over catnip?
"Remote control rig. Real-time vitals monitoring, takes external signals, executes commands."
"What?! Who the hell messes with my cat!"
Seria jacked the chip into a custom terminal.
"Info Analysis Team, crack this chip's logs now. Trace sender, receiver, every comm. Ten minutes."
Her icy tone filled the office.
Ten minutes.
I jittered on the sofa; Nero hopped on my lap for biscuit-making.
Laid-back furball. Bomb in his neck and chill as ever?
Or he knew. Came to me for a fix? Competent butler hunt?
9:58 on the dot, Seria's terminal pinged.
"Got it."
"Knew it, Seria. Ace. Where? Overseas? Deep-sea lair?"
She swung the screen my way.
Neo Incheon sat-map. Blinking red dot.
"West District, near Cheongna Bio-Chem Research Complex. Abandoned warehouse. Looks derelict, but huge power draw last six months. Sat-IR says massive underground setup."
"...That's it? Closer than expected."
"Reality's always stingier than fantasy, Mayor."
Word. My life's exhibit A.
Fantasy: Slush fund sprint to South Pacific.
Reality: Success derails impeachment.
"Warehouse... underground... Villain hideout cliche bingo."
"Alerted Captain Kang Jiyeong. Special Task Force mobilizing."
"Hold up! Special Task Force again? Hero Association's gig, right?"
"Prime time to flex gov efficiency. Plus, those blasphemers who touched your cat deserve hands-on justice, no?"
Faint smirk on Seria.
Definitely "fresh toy" grin.
I just wanted sofa bliss and Nero belly rubs.
Why'm I always Justice Apostle vs. Evil™?
The warehouse perimeter was locked down tight by the Special Task Force.
Stars: Task Force. Villains: Nameless goons inside. Me: Spectator.
Bulletproof mayor limo, drone live-feed rolling.
Crunch crunch-
Popcorn in hand, courtesy of Seria.
Secretary goals.
'Sides, "You're dead weight, Mayor—munch popcorn, spectate."
Screen: Captain Kang Jiyeong's squad hits the abandoned factory zone.
Kang Jiyeong goes all-in on lawbreakers. Zero mercy, zero sympathy.
She thrust one arm at the factory.
Vrrrrm-
Earth trembled.
Scattered rusty rebar, junk piles, buried pipes—all metal heeding her, airborne.
"Whoa. Cheat code?"
Exclaimed sans thinking. Popcorn paused.
Roooaaar!!!
Ground howled.
Quake. Asphalt splits.
Then, factory lot whole—soccer-field landmass—skyrockets up.
Underground lab ripped free too.
Neo Incheon's best tax bang.
Reliable, Kang Jiyeong!