Chapter 104: Cheng Feng’s Resolve—Breaking Through as a Monster

For so many years, the catgirl maids had diligently served in this café. Rising early and returning late, even when occasionally harassed by unruly customers, they never lost their temper, always responding with a gentle smile.

The only rule set by the manager was clear: once a customer stepped through the door, they were treated like a god, deserving the utmost service, and their wishes were never to be defied.

The maids devoted themselves to serving humans for a peaceful life, never engaging in conflict with them. All their efforts were aimed at one day achieving peaceful coexistence between humans and harmless monsters.

They often dreamed of a future where they could live openly and honorably under the sunlight, just like humans.

But now, all those beautiful dreams shattered in an instant.

The Disaster Association had detected a problem with the café and acted immediately to eradicate them all.

This outcome silently spoke the harsh truth: fantasies were nothing but illusions, forever unattainable.

Harmless monsters had no place to survive in this world; only ruthless, man-eating beasts could contend with humans.

“Everyone, stay calm. Don’t panic. There’s still time,” the manager said, his expression composed as he faced the frightened cats. He turned to Cheng Feng and said, “Guest, please take them out through the back door. That way will be safer. If we wait any longer, there will be no chance.”

“I understand,” Cheng Feng replied without hesitation. Under these circumstances, he could only lead Xue Ju and the others to leave; the café had to be abandoned.

Cheng Feng’s position was delicate. As a demon hunter, befriending Xue Ju, a cat demon, had already broken a taboo among his kind. He should not associate with monsters, but unlike the rigid, old-fashioned hunters, he knew the truth behind it all.

Helping Xue Ju escape was feasible, and the other cat demons merely wanted to survive—that was not wrong.

The manager had once saved him, and now, by helping these cat demons escape, Cheng Feng felt he was repaying that kindness.

Seeing Cheng Feng agree, the manager nodded slightly. “Thank you. I entrust them to you.”

Little Cat Ju’s eyes widened in surprise. “Manager, what about you?”

“I have a score to settle with the humans,” the manager said calmly.

“Manager, do you mean to—” Xue Ju gasped.

“That’s right. I will stay behind and confront the humans,” the manager said solemnly. “You must leave quickly.”

“Hmm.” Cheng Feng took Xue Ju’s hand and was about to call the others to follow when a voice suddenly protested.

“No! I’m not leaving!”

Little Cat Ju’s eyes brimmed with tears, her voice resolute. “If the manager stays, then I won’t leave either! Though I’m weak, I want to stay and fight alongside you.”

“I won’t leave either. Those humans are despicable. We never harmed them, yet they want to exterminate us—it’s intolerable!” The black cat maid’s stubborn spirit flared as she spoke angrily. “We might as well fight with the manager and die together!”

“I’m staying too. Even if we escape, we have nowhere else to go. Better to fight here!”

“Yes, I’ll stay. Better to die fighting!”

“The manager saved my life. If they don’t leave, I won’t either.”

The other maids echoed the sentiment. Though earlier frightened and panicked, upon hearing the manager’s decision to stay, all that remained was stubborn courage and a willingness to risk everything.

“That’s enough!” The manager’s rare displeasure showed as he scolded, “Don’t be foolish. Obey me and follow the guest out. You are innocent—I don’t want to see you die here.”

Seeing the manager angry for the first time, the cats fell silent, though their hearts still resisted leaving.

Only the most headstrong black cat maid refused to give up. “Manager, I don’t want to leave... This café is my home. If I can’t even protect my home, what’s the point of living?”

“Enough, enough. Are you all idiots?” Cheng Feng, unable to tolerate the scene any longer, spoke with a cold expression. “You’re all weaklings. What good will staying do? You’ll just be throwing your lives away, or giving the hunters more kills. Do you want to be a burden to the manager?”

“But the manager—” Little Cat Ju pouted, about to argue.

Cheng Feng cut her off. “Don’t you all know how strong the manager is? If they wanted to leave, how could those outside stop them? The manager is staying behind to buy us time to escape, not to die in battle. Why can’t you understand?”

When the cats finally fell silent, Cheng Feng sighed inwardly.

In truth, he was lying. Of everyone present, only he knew the manager had no intention of leaving alive.

“Xue Ju, I remember you can shrink, right?” Cheng Feng looked at her.

He recalled some time ago during a mission at a monster auction, when Liu Shiyu had to disguise herself as a monster but lacked any monster aura. At that time, Xue Ju had demonstrated her shrinking ability and hid on Liu Shiyu, lending her the aura necessary to infiltrate the auction.

Xue Ju nodded. “Of course.”

Cheng Feng then looked at the other cats. They all nodded in agreement.

He breathed a sigh of relief—this solved their problem.

As a demon hunter, it would be simple to leave the war zone alone, but guiding so many monster girls would be impossible; too many, too conspicuous.

So Cheng Feng had them shrink and hide in the front pocket of his jacket, zipper pulled tight for easy transport.

At first, a few maids hesitated, wary of trusting a demon hunter, fearing betrayal.

But with the manager’s encouragement, they agreed to shrink to tiny cats and hide in Cheng Feng’s jacket pocket.

That settled it.

Wait... no, something was wrong!

Suddenly, Cheng Feng realized a new problem.

With the cat demons concealed on him, their monster aura would emanate from his body. They wouldn’t get far before the hunters outside sensed it.

Carrying the cats would surely arouse his colleagues’ suspicions.

Forget escaping the encirclement; they’d be stopped within mere steps.

He was trapped.

Time was pressing. Seeing Cheng Feng hesitate, the manager asked, puzzled, “Guest, what’s wrong?”

Cheng Feng looked at the manager and suddenly smiled. “Manager, that mask you wear as Black Night Fork suits you quite well. Could you give it to me?”

A mask?

The manager’s eyes widened slightly in understanding. “Guest, could it be that you—”

Cheng Feng wiped the smile off his face and spoke seriously, “Yes. I intend to break through as a monster.”