Late at night, the streets of Ribi City were eerily desolate; only the streetlamps cast Tian Shuangxin's shadow into a long, thin line.
She held the fancy rat tightly in her arms—though it was now as large as two palms combined, in her eyes, it was still that tiny, precious babe in need of protection.
She looked down to see Zhizhi's little nose twitching rapidly, greedily inhaling the long-lost scent of "Mama".
Tian Shuangxin's heart melted instantly. She tightened her embrace slightly and whispered in a voice only they could hear, "In the dream, you told Mama... you wanted the strawberry cookies I make, right?"
The little head in her arms snapped up. Zhizhi's bright, black-bead eyes sparkled instantly, and it nodded its head like a pounding pestle, squeaking incessantly with a voice full of endless grievance and longing.
Tian Shuangxin was amused by its gluttonous display, a gentle curve gracing her lips. "Alright. Once we've visited Grandma at the hospital, we're going home. Mama will make your absolute favorite strawberry cookies right away—all you can eat, okay?"
As she spoke, she reached out a finger to gently rub the base of its ears. Zhizhi squinted its eyes in bliss, looking like a tiny, drunken old man as its body went limp and sprawled in its mother's arms.
"How can my Zhizhi be this cute?" TianShuangxin couldn't help but sigh, her eyes overflowing with doting affection. "Whose family could possibly have a baby as cute as mine?"
Hearing the praise, Zhizhi acted as if it understood perfectly; its two front paws suddenly lifted to cover its eyes tightly. That shy little look was identical to a three-year-old human toddler.
Tian Shuangxin's heart was about to burst. Unable to suppress her internal fervor any longer, she lifted the rat high and—mwah!—planted a heavy kiss right on its forehead.
Any thoughts of how long it had been wandering outside or whether it carried bacteria were thrown to the back of her mind.
"Squeak! Squeak-squeak!" Zhizhi jumped in surprise, its tiny paws flailing in the air as if trying to push away Tian Shuangxin's "giant maw", getting so flustered it was nearly "overheating".
"Oh? Is Zhizhi shy? But Mama just wants to kiss you, what should I do?" Tian Shuangxin teased intentionally, her eyes twinkling. "Oh—Mama doesn't understand what you're saying. I guess little Zhizhi must think one kiss isn't enough and wants Mama to kiss you a few more times, right?"
Just as she excitedly leaned in again, the invisible red thread at her fingertip warmed up slightly. The temperature was low—not scalding, but carrying a tingly sensation like a mild electric current.
Tian Shuangxin froze instantly. Then, a soft, timid, and slightly aggrieved voice rang directly inside her mind:
"No! Mama... Zhizhi is dirty, don't kiss Zhizhi..."
Tian Shuangxin stiffened where she stood. Her brain stalled for only three seconds—after all, she had already witnessed divine miracles. It wasn't just because Zhizhi could speak, but because of the voice itself—it was clearly the crisp, melodious voice of a little girl!
She snapped to her senses and, with a sudden, rough movement, flipped Zhizhi over and lifted its tail to check.
"Wait a minute..." Tian Shuangxin muttered in bewilderment. "My Zhizhi has always been female. But didn't it turn into that man called 'Sato' before? This voice... this gender... what is going on?!"
"Ah! Ahhh! Mama is a pervert!" The fancy rat in her arms struggled wildly, its two small paws desperately covering its rear, its tone full of shame and indignation. "How can you just look at someone's privacy like that! Stinky Mama!"
Tian Shuangxin felt like she was losing her mind. She stared at the ball of fur in her arms and asked seriously, "Baby, tell Mama the truth: are you a boy or a girl now?"
Zhizhi sat up huffily, leaning against TianShuangxin's shoulder. In an angle she couldn't see, it expertly rolled its eyes and transmitted its voice crossly: "Did Mama forget? Zhizhi has always been a girl!"
"But when you turned into that man earlier..."
"That was Sato's body!" Zhizhi interrupted her, its voice dropping and laced with a hint of heartache. "At the time, Zhizhi had no choice. To see Mama, I had to stay alive... but my original body was about to give out, so I had to borrow that bad guy's shell first..."
As it spoke, its mood dampened, and its little head slumped against TianShuangxin's chest.
Tian Shuangxin felt as if a needle had pierced her heart, and her eyes reddened instantly.
She hurriedly and gently turned Zhizhi around, stroking her back with a voice full of self-reproach. "It's not your fault; it's all Mama's. I failed to protect you and let you suffer so much..."
Zhizhi looked up and nudged her palm with her nose. "Mama, you already apologized to me in the dream."
"No, that was different," Tian Shuangxin sniffed, her voice firm. "This time, it's Mama telling you in person."
"Well, since you've said it, let's turn the page, okay? Mama isn't allowed to be a crybaby anymore!" Zhizhi shook her head playfully, her charmingly naive tone finally making Tian Shuangxin break into a smile through her tears.
"I really can't do anything with you..." TianShuangxin nuzzled the little head, the last of the gloom in her heart dissipating. "Your real voice is so lovely, Zhizhi," she whispered, her voice trembling with the joy of regaining what was lost.
She thought to herself: So the previous 'Sato' really was just an ill-fitting coat. My soft, adorable, and sweet daughter is finally back.
Feeling the tension leave her mother's muscles, Zhizhi's tone became serious. "Mama, I will still turn back into 'Sato'."
Tian Shuangxin froze for a moment, not yet recovered from the joy of the reunion. She instinctively replied, "I know. Mama doesn't care what you look like."
"No, that's not it, Mama," Zhizhi explained urgently. "The reason I could temporarily return to this form is because of your intense will to protect me. That thought is transforming the Divine Power within the Red Thread. So... when you stop worrying about my safety and feel that I am secure, I will turn back into that man."
She paused, her tiny claws gripping TianShuangxin's collar, her voice sounding pitiful. "So... when that happens, Mama, you mustn't be afraid of Zhizhi, okay?"
"I won't. Never," Tian Shuangxin replied powerfully, pressing the rat closer to her heart. "How could I be afraid of the one who loves me so much?"
Even if it meant dying, you came back to see me. I can't cherish you enough; how could I bear to hurt you again?
Just then, the distant roar of an engine tore through the warmth. Tian Shuangxin instinctively tried to hide in the shadows of the roadside—a defensive reflex forged during this tumultuous night.
However, the massive black armored vehicle came to a precise halt at a distance that wasn't too close, yet perfectly cut off all paths of retreat.
It was the First Squadron, fresh from their pursuit of the CIA.
The doors swung open, and several SWAT officers in heavy body armor, wielding QBZ tactical rifles, jumped out. They carried the scent of gunpowder from a recent firefight, their faces grim. The leader stepped forward, stopping three meters away. He saluted before presenting his credentials.
"I am Lu Jingxing, Vice-Captain of the First Squadron, Blue Tiger Commandos. You are Ms. Tian Shuangxin, correct? The original owner of the 'First Case' fancy rat?"
His gaze immediately locked onto the bundle in her arms—even with her efforts to hide it, the large rat's body and the faint golden glow were impossible to conceal in the dark.
Tian Shuangxin didn't answer. Like a mother wolf protecting her cub, her eyes were wary and sharp, her body coiled to spring as she scanned the nearby alleys for an escape.
"Ms. Tian, please relax." The Vice-Captain sensed her tension and immediately signaled his men to lower their weapons, even taking a step back to show sincerity. "We are national SWAT commandos. Captain Chen is handling the aftermath, and he specifically ordered us to find you first."
His tone softened slightly but remained professional. "The 'Rods from God' were intercepted, but the border is still unstable. The B.E.N. lunatics haven't gone far. You and this creature are currently the most conspicuous 'targets' on the Blue Planet."
Tian Shuangxin remained silent, her fingers tightly squeezing the warm Red Thread.
"The Chief has given the order." The Vice-Captain pointed to the sky, then to the road ahead. "A ten-kilometer radius has been physically cordoned off. In Ribi City right now, no one but us can get near you."
As he spoke, Tian Shuangxin watched in amazement as the streetlamps at the end of the road flickered to life one by one, as if by divine command. The once-dark city was suddenly split open by a brilliant golden avenue leading straight toward the hospital.
"Get in the car, Ms. Tian. This vehicle can withstand fire from anti-materiel sniper rifles."
Vice-Captain Lu pulled open the heavy armored door. "Captain Chen made it clear: if we were a second late and let you get hurt, he'd have our heads. Please, let us do our job—escorting you both to the hospital."
Zhizhi poked her head out from TianShuangxin's arms, looking at the formidable armored vehicle and the SWAT officers whose faces screamed "professional" but whose eyes betrayed genuine concern.
She whispered telepathically into TianShuangxin's ear: "Mama, they have an aura... very similar to that big Divine Beast who just saved me. They are good people."
Tian Shuangxin took a deep breath, clutched her treasure tighter, and stepped toward the steel beast.
After a bumpy ride, the large characters of the People's Hospital came into everyone's view.
The heavy doors of the armored vehicle slid open, and the golden streetlamps in front of the hospital cut the shadows into sharp relief.
Though the border town was still trembling from the day's apocalyptic fright, the hospital lights remained defiantly lit. The doctors and nurses on duty, though pale and hurried, stood their ground—on this extraordinary day, every medical worker who refused to fall was the backbone of this city.
"Ms. Tian, we have arrived," Vice-Captain Lu said as he stepped out, personally forming a human shield for her.
At the hospital entrance, the silver-haired Director and several core staff members had been waiting for some time. As a public hospital in the southwest border, it lacked the luxury of revolving doors or fountains found in first-tier cities; it had only well-worn steps and corridors bleached white from years of scrubbing.
Yet, the "special treatment" was evident in every detail.
"Ms. Tian, I am the Director here." The old Director hurried forward. He didn't look at the fully armed SWAT team; instead, he looked at the fancy rat peeking out from TianShuangxin's arms.
His eyes flashed with an unprecedented mix of curiosity, awe, and warmth. "We have received the Top-Grade instructions from the higher-ups. Rest assured, this is currently the most concentrated point of medical resources in the province."
The Director led the way, bypassing the crowded outpatient areas and opening a reserved medical elevator.
In a time of extreme manpower shortage, the Director had reassigned two of the most experienced nurses—who had no involvement in any "livestream incidents"—to handle this case. One of them was NurseFu, who was now solely responsible for TianShuangxin's mother's ward. Upon entering the elevator, the two women exchanged a small, knowing smile.
Reaching the Intensive Care ward, TianShuangxin noticed several pieces of precision equipment labeled "Provincial Hospital Support" set up in the hallway. Though the room was modestly decorated, every inch of the bedding smelled of fresh disinfectant, and a pot of vibrant green carnations sat on the windowsill.
"Medications, plasma, and an expert team for overnight video consultations are all on standby," the Director said softly as he pushed open the door.
On the bed, Tian Shuangxin's mother was sleeping peacefully, her breathing steady and her complexion incredibly rosy. TianShuangxin stood by the bedside, her eyes welling up again—not from sorrow, but because she had finally brought Zhizhi to see her.
In her arms, Zhizhi grew quiet, her tiny claws clutching the edge of the quilt as her nose twitched near the pillow, letting out a satisfied, soft purr.
"Ms. Tian, you may rest on the cot nearby. If you need anything, including... for this...?"
"Director, her name is Zhizhi," Tian Shuangxin replied quickly.
"Right, for Zhizhi's food requirements," the Director said earnestly, looking at the fancy rat, "our logistics department will do its utmost to satisfy them."
There were no tedious welcome ceremonies or exaggerated red carpets—only this quiet sanctuary, forcefully preserved by the power of the state, serving as the sole peaceful harbor in this chaotic world.