TCPUAAV Chapter 108

 

 

At this moment, the starship had already departed from Sikkim and was cruising steadily along its course.

 

Passenger ships like this usually carried three to five auxiliary craft in case of emergencies—such as a passenger needing to return mid-journey.

 

The cubs had set their sights precisely on one of those backup crafts. Among them, the little mermaid was the largest, so it naturally fell to him to communicate with the crew. Meanwhile, the rest of the cubs scurried about, quietly packing what they needed.

 

They couldn’t bring too much luggage, or their dads might notice. But too little wasn’t good either—they had to prepare for every possibility, and that included bringing weapons.

 

At present, all firearms were kept with Ruan Shiqing. Among the cubs, only the little mermaid had a miniature energy blaster. After a long whispering session, the little fox and the mermaid blocked 09 in the charging bay and dismantled two of the blasters installed on his arms.

 

The little robot complained bitterly as he was disarmed. “What do you need weapons for? And you’re hiding this from Sir!”

 

The little dragon crouched on his shoulder, watching as the fox tucked the weapons into a backpack. He spoke in his softest voice, trying to win him over: “We’re going to get revenge for Nota. It’s our own business, so you can’t tell Dad.”

 

“Revenge? Is it dangerous?” A little red dot flashed nervously on 09’s screen.

 

“It’s totally safe,” the little dragon said quickly, invoking the ultimate name. “Snowball’s going with us. Everything’s planned. We’ll be in and out, no problem.”

 

The mention of Rong Heng going too eased 09’s worry a little—but he still hesitated. He had never kept a secret from Sir before. “You really can’t tell him?”

 

“No!” the little dragon said firmly. He instinctively knew that if Dad found out, there was no way he’d let them go.

 

But this was something they had to do for Nota.

 

Besides, they’d already proven they could handle missions on their own. This time, they were just secretly doubling back to vent some steam on Liv. The little dragon tilted his chin proudly, not feeling there was anything wrong with it.

 

Only then did 09 reluctantly agree.

 

By the time the little dragon and the fox finished prepping their weapons, the little mermaid had also finished talking to the crew.

 

The cubs regrouped, whispering as they finalized the timing for their departure.

 

They had only just left Sikkim, so making a round trip by auxiliary craft would take about an hour. They’d leave an extra hour to “handle business.” Two hours in total—roughly the same amount of time they usually spent playing in the entertainment room. Their dads wouldn’t even notice.

 

They decided to leave at night.

 

Each seat in first class came with a sleeping pod. After midnight, the ship had gone completely quiet, and the cubs, who’d been pretending to sleep, quietly popped open their pods and climbed out one by one.

 

The little mermaid led the way, holding Snowball. The little dragon brought up the rear. The little fox and Ruan Jiao were in the middle.

 

Rustling sounds filled the otherwise silent cabin for a few seconds before everything fell quiet again. The indicator lights on their sleeping pods remained on, showing they were “occupied.”

 

The cubs slipped into the lower deck, contacted the crew, and boarded an auxiliary craft. Moments later, they launched from the ship’s underbelly, turning back toward Sikkim.

 

Ruan Shiqing and Garland looked out through the observation window. They could just make out the faint glimmer of the craft’s tail lights as it departed.

 

“You’re really just going to let them go?” Garland frowned, clearly uneasy. The cubs were all still so small—it seemed dangerous to him.

 

“Rong Heng will take care of them,” Ruan Shiqing replied calmly. “And this isn’t their first time out.”

 

He glanced at Garland. For the first time, he felt like there was someone he could share the burden with. Without hesitation, he pulled up the cubs’ dark past and presented it to this newly minted father.

 

Garland fell silent as he read through the bounty notices.

 

These cubs… were even more mischievous than he’d imagined.

 

He rubbed the bridge of his nose helplessly, then gradually relaxed again as he recalled that Ruan Shiqing had mentioned Rong Heng was with them.

 

No wonder Siyan was always so well-informed about what was happening on Ruan Shiqing’s side.

 

So the crown prince hadn’t actually died after all—and was, in fact, hiding in plain sight in juvenile form beside an ancient human.

 

Judging from that, the relationship between the two of them… wasn’t nearly as strained as the rumors claimed.

 

*

 

The little mermaid piloted the craft and took just half an hour to return to the Sikkim port.

 

After disembarking, the cubs found a secluded spot where they shifted back into their full human forms, then strutted boldly toward the Public Security Bureau.

 

The wanted posters didn’t have clear images of their faces, which ironically made it easier for them to operate in public.

 

The little mermaid carried Snowball in one arm and held Ruan Jiao’s hand with the other, while the little fox and the little dragon led the way.

 

The streets were nearly deserted in the early hours, with only the occasional aircraft zipping by overhead. Neon lights flickered quietly, casting pale glows on the pavement.

 

When they reached the bureau’s tightly shut main entrance, the cubs paused and fell into deep thought.

 

“How do we get in? Pick the lock?”

 

“That’ll make too much noise,” the little mermaid said. “Let’s find another way in.”

 

The Public Security Bureau’s office was part of a row of connected buildings, with high walls separating the internal corridors. With their agility, climbing over wouldn’t be difficult—it would just take some effort to temporarily disable the alarm system.

 

Fortunately, the little mermaid had learned how to do that from his dad. It was well within his skillset.

 

Just as the cubs were about to split up and act, Rong Heng lazily typed out a line:

 

[Go through the front door.]

 

The moment he finished typing, the tightly shut security door quietly slid open with no sound at all.

 

“You’re the best, big bro!” the little dragon exclaimed, hugging Rong Heng’s paw as he darted inside first.

 

Inside the building, it was pitch-black and eerily quiet. Only a few lights were on, casting dim, flickering glows. Rong Heng summoned Noah and asked her to locate Liv’s coordinates.

 

Noah quickly responded:

 

[Located in Detention Cell No. 3902.]

 

—A prison?

 

Rong Heng was momentarily stunned. To imprison a princess of the Nine-Tailed Fox Clan in a holding cell… it looked like Siyan was dead set on starting a conflict with Sijialan. Even the fox clan wasn’t going to be spared.

 

While he was lost in thought, the cubs had already followed Noah’s directions and found where Liv was being held. This particular detention area was a temporary holding facility in the bureau—small rooms enclosed by three walls, each containing nothing but a cold, hard metal cot.

 

Liv sat on the edge of her bed, hugging her knees. Her elegant white princess dress was tattered and filthy, and she looked a complete mess.

 

In the silence of the room, her soft sobs could be heard clearly.

 

The cubs stayed in the shadows, perfectly in sync. Only the little fox stepped forward, walking up to the metal bars.

 

Liv flinched at the sound of footsteps and leapt toward the door, hope flashing in her eyes—but she didn’t dare act arrogantly this time. She lowered her voice and asked urgently, “Did Father send you to rescue me?”

 

She had secretly sent a distress message to her father while being taken to the bureau. He had replied, promising to send someone for her tonight.

 

But when she saw the figure standing outside the bars, she faltered. “Who are you?”

 

The person appeared to be about her age. Liv couldn’t help but worry—could someone like this really get her out of here?

 

The little fox no longer looked like a child. Her form had grown taller—around 175 cm—with short, fiery red hair that draped over her shoulders. Her striking features were more breathtaking than ever. In anyone else, such looks might have been considered seductive or wild, but her narrow silver eyes added a cold edge, cutting through any allure with an air of aloof sharpness.

 

She looked down at Liv, who now stood slightly shorter than her. “You don’t recognize me?”

 

As the words fell, ten fox tails spread behind her, swaying gently.

 

Liv’s pupils widened in disbelief. “It’s you!” she hissed, her expression twisting with hatred. “You’re still alive?!”

 

“I’m afraid I’ll have to disappoint you,” Nota smiled, unfazed by the venom in Liv’s voice. “I’ve been doing quite well, actually. But you… doesn’t look like you’ve had it easy.”

 

She even deliberately mimicked Rong Heng’s usual manner, lowering her eyes with cold indifference—gazing at Liv as if she were garbage.

 

That look of contempt hit Liv right in the gut, and sure enough, it ignited her fury. Her chest rose and fell sharply with rage, but after the lesson she’d just been taught, she no longer dared to act out too much.

 

“What are you doing here?” she stepped back two paces, glaring at Nota with growing wariness. “My father’s people will be here any moment. You’d better leave now, or you’ll regret it.”

 

The memory of her childhood suddenly came rushing back—when she had aimed a small bow at this same girl, forcing her to scramble around like a filthy stray. That image gave her a twisted sense of joy, and she sneered, “Or are you here to relive that moment? Remember what it felt like to crawl around like a dog, running for your life?”

 

Nota didn’t miss the malice on her face.

 

To be honest, when Heli first suggested getting revenge, she hadn’t planned to come at all. The events from her cub years were long buried, hazy and insignificant now. She certainly didn’t feel any lingering resentment toward someone who was already getting what they deserved.

 

But deep down, there was still a sliver of doubt that lingered in her heart—something unanswered.

 

Maybe Liv could help her find that answer.

 

And that was the only reason she came.

 

 

 

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Lol these cubs are too mischievous for their own good

 

Thanks for reading!

For every three ko-fis, I will upload a bonus chapter~