The Right Way to Pet a Cat

In 2018, a cat plague broke out across the globe, and cats of every breed began dying one after another. A year later, scientists officially announced that cats had become extinct. Afterward, humanity’s happiness levels plummeted, and a disease called Cat Deprivation Syndrome emerged. Its symptoms included insomnia, irritability, anxiety, and panic, and severe cases could be fatal. Listening to real cats or looking at pictures or videos of them could ease the symptoms, but it was still only treating the symptoms, not the cause. Long Qi is the CEO of Long Group, the biggest company in Huaguo, but he hasn’t appeared in public for a month. Rumor has it he has Cat Deprivation Syndrome. Now living in his hometown of N City to receive treatment, Long Qi has noticed that the dried fish he leaves on the balcony keep mysteriously disappearing. Every so often, he also hears meowing from next door that sounds far too real to be a recording. Theme: Long live the Cat Fanciers’ Cult!