The bodyguard came in again to deliver some files. He glanced at the projection and saw Fenix tirelessly attempting to conquer the three-meter height. His efforts seemed to be paying off; he was just a hair away from reaching the edge of the sculpture.

The bodyguard knew Fenix wasn't an ordinary cat, but even as someone in the know, he couldn't help but think Fenix was acting very feline.

"Fenix is truly a cat," he said aloud.

"Do you know much about cats?" Lion asked.

The bodyguard paused, looking at his boss.

What are you talking about? Of course, I understand cats.

The way you talk makes it sound like you're not a feline yourself.

Lion didn't pick up on the bodyguard's subtle thoughts. He paused for a moment and asked, "All cats behave like this?"

This question was easy to answer.

The bodyguard responded confidently, "All cats behave this way."

Cats cannot be judged by human logic. No matter how bizarre their actions may seem, they're perfectly normal.

"Don't try to understand a cat's thoughts."

Lion remembered seeing this phrase when he was browsing through cat-rearing tutorials and videos earlier.

The bodyguard's understanding went deeper.

Playful, lazy, self-centered, and unpredictable.

These labels fit any cat well. Actually, it wasn't just cats.

The bodyguard thought,

"Expanding it a bit further, it applies to all felines."

"..."

Lion, who rarely cared about his subordinates' thoughts, sensed a hint of complaint in the words of this long-time follower.

"Am I like that too?" Lion asked.

The bodyguard looked at Lion, hesitated for a second, then nodded.

Without batting an eye, Lion said, "Not me."

The bodyguard kept a straight face, "Oh."

He didn't argue with Lion.

After all, getting their boss to admit any similarities with the kitten in the projection was a tall order.

The bodyguard put down the files and left.

Lion sat behind his desk, tapping his fingertips on the surface. It had been so long since his awakening period that his memories of it were vague. However, he still remembered his teachers telling him to control his instincts while he was still in the awakening school.

But Lion always thought the instincts they wanted him to control were only the aggressive parts.

What else was there to control?

Did they expect him to control his temper?

Why should he control his temper for others?

Lion thought, not realizing how feline his thoughts were.

Boss Lion glanced at the bouncing ball of fur trying to jump onto the sculpture. A crowd had begun to gather around the lawn because of the kitten. Fenix, finding the collar too troublesome to carry, had left it aside.

Love this story? Find the genuine version on the author's preferred platform and support their work!

Boss Lion frowned.

He was annoyed enough that Fenix went to play halfway back, but now he was throwing aside the items given to him.

Not pleased.

Since Boss Lion wasn't pleased, nobody else could be either.

He stamped a new file with a loud "pa," noticing that he had punched a hole through it with his force. Releasing his grip, he rang for his secretary.

The bodyguard returned.

Lion pushed the file he had just ruined toward him.

The document was over thirty pages thick.

The bodyguard paused, "Head, shall I go call Fenix back?"

Lion calmly said, "Why call him back? If he wants to play, let him play."

But you seem quite annoyed.

The bodyguard glanced at the projection and, following his boss's wishes, nodded, "Alright."

He went out, fed the damaged document into the shredder, and printed a new copy.

Fenix struggled for a while, sensing victory was near!

Indeed!

Could there be anything Fenix couldn't handle?

When he played Temple Run with Lion and lost, he managed to escape a bath by leaping from a chandelier to the ceiling! That was a seven to eight-meter gap!

Although it was a moment of crisis-induced potential, the fact that he could do it meant his limit was above seven to eight meters!

Thinking this, Fenix gathered his strength, crouched, and leaped again!

The kitten stretched his front paws, barely managing to grasp the edge of the sculpture. Clinging to the hollow pattern, he flipped himself inside.

Cheers and applause erupted around him.

Fenix was taken aback, poking his head through the hollow pattern to discover a crowd had gathered around the lawn. Some were taking photos, chatting, calling friends, and even livestreaming.

A small commotion ensued as Fenix peered out.

?

What are you doing here instead of working?

Trying to steal salaries?

Fenix grumbled to himself, pulling his head back and ignoring them, starting to climb the sculpture.

The main part of the sculpture was Lion Corp.'s logo. Fenix didn't know who designed it, but he was certain the person who approved it was Lion himself.

Otherwise, how could it be so cat-friendly?

After all, lions are also cats. Just a bit bigger...

Pfft, just a few dozen times bigger.

Not worth mentioning!

The kitten shook his ears, hearing someone on a livestream say, "The forum says this is our boss's cat... Thanks, boss, for the hyper-speed spaceship, mwah~"

???

Fenix froze.

Damn!

How could this person do this!

Livestreaming me requires sharing the profits!

Fenix was furious.

He poked his head out again, angrily mewing at the crowd below!

Copyright warning!

Portrait rights warning!

Lion warning!

The humans receiving the kitten's mewing warnings weren't scared at all; some even responded with monkey-like calls.

Damn!

Fenix pulled his head back, scampering to the top of the sculpture, standing on the edge, taking a deep breath, and roaring like a lion, "Miao-ao!"

The crowd below stirred, responding in unison!

"Miao!"

"Miaow!"

"Miao wu!"

"Wo ao!"

"Wu oh!"

Fenix: "..."

Damn.

Are you guys okay?

With this IQ, how did you get into Lion Corp.?

Fenix had severe doubts about Lion Corp.'s HR department.

Fenix was puzzled, and so was Lion.

But Lion wasn't questioning the HR department; he felt a deep generational gap with the younger generation.

This wasn't the first time he felt this way.

Since meeting Fenix, he felt his brain was incompatible with the kid's. Adding Ferran, who behaved differently at work and in private, Lion often felt out of place due to his lack of silliness.

And now...

Lion confirmed the generational gap with the young while watching the projection.

The bodyguard entered with newly printed files.

He glanced at the projection where the kitten angrily bounced off the sculpture, carrying his collar, breaking through the crowd, and running towards the main building.

Each office building had its own function and required a card to enter. Only a handful managed to follow Fenix into the main building.

The bodyguard looked away, saying, "Head, the head of the marketing department called."

Lion watched the kitten quickly lose the crowd, feeling much better.

He lifted an eyelid, "Hmm?"

"The livestream of Fenix near the logo sculpture has already exceeded the marketing department's planned data for the quarter."

"Oh." Lion showed little interest.

The bodyguard wasn't surprised. Their boss had no interest in such matters. He also knew Lion didn't even know the extent of his assets.

Expecting a former pirate leader to remember his assets and manage them was unrealistic.

The bodyguard understood.

He put down the newly printed files and left the office.

Lion's gaze fell on the files, noticing ten copies were freshly printed.

This probably meant "rip them up, I have more."

Lion pushed the files aside, his gaze slowly landing on the cat door of his office.

Soon after, the collar he had personally hung on Fenix was pushed under the cat door by a tiny paw.

Lion reached out, turning off the projection.

Then, a familiar little head popped through the cat door.

Lion slowly said, "You've only been gone for an hour. Why are you back?"

As if he hadn't been waiting for the cat to return.

Fenix, unaware of this, jumped onto the table, found his terminal, and complained: "Someone livestreamed me!"

Lion knew about it and nodded.

Fenix was angry: "They should share the profits if they livestream me!"

Lion nodded, casually adding, "Yeah, I'll give you a raise."

Fenix was stunned, thinking Lion misunderstood his implication for money. He hurried to explain: "That's not what I meant!"

Why does he keep giving me raises?!

That makes me look like a gold-digger!

Living off the boss, sleeping with the boss, and getting random payments... where would Fenix's dignity be?

Fenix was anxious.

He was someone who could earn by talent, not by looks or body!

"The marketing department said the heat generated by those livestreams completed their quarterly plan data."

Lion looked at the stunned kitten, removing the grass bits stuck to him.

"Your contribution, so you deserve a raise."

Fenix lay dazed on the table, exposing his grass-stained belly until Lion cleaned him up. Then he came to his senses.

"Really?"

The kitten's eyes sparkled!

Lion nodded, "Really."

Fenix typed excitedly, "Then I'll go sit on the sculpture every day!"

From today, Fenix would be the official ambassador of Lion Corp.!

Fenix quickly discarded the idea of earning by talent.

Why not earn by the body if possible!

The body is part of one's ability too!

Lion: "...Not necessary."

Fenix: "I like that sculpture!"

Lion paused.

Fenix: "It's perfect as a cat tree, huge, no disturbance, good material, not heat-conductive, no matter how long it's in the sun, it won't turn into a frying pan... it moves too! I love it! It's just a bit hard to jump onto."

Lion looked at the long string of compliments, stroking the kitten's belly, scratching under his chin, and asked, "Don't you like my office?"

Fenix looked around Lion's office upon hearing this.

Apart from the adjacent rest room and bathroom, Lion's entire office had been transformed into a cat room. If it weren't for the two bookshelves and a desk, the office could be converted into a cat café.

And it was all done for him.

My boss is so nice.

Fenix was deeply moved.

"Like it! But I also like that sculpture outside."

After typing this, he thought about his job as a mental comforter and added, "But I'll come back often too."

Lion raised an eyebrow.

For a moment, he saw a shadow of a man who indulged outside but still boldly claimed his love for his wife when he returned.

Didn't see that coming, kid.

Lion thought.

Seems like you've got the con artist act down pat.