However, this guinea pig was a bit different from ordinary ones. Its fur was longer, and a tuft of white hair on its head hung forward like bangs, almost covering its eyes. Maybe because it exercised often, this guinea pig wasn’t as slow as the fat ones Logan Bennett had seen before, which were kept in cages all day. Its running speed was much faster.

　　Still, even though it was faster than other guinea pigs, it couldn’t escape the claws of two overly energetic cats.

　　Sheriff and Buddy cornered the guinea pig in the middle. Whenever it tried to run out, they would use their paws to force it back to its original spot.

　　Logan Bennett thought for a moment and decided to stop Sheriff and Buddy just as they were about to bite. The guinea pigs on campus were all kept as pets; they weren’t lab mice, so you couldn’t just play with or eat them however you wanted. Besides, this breed was a bit special. Logan Bennett had just observed the guinea pig’s fur—it was very clean and seemed to have been carefully groomed. Its owner clearly valued it a lot. No one could guarantee that eating this guinea pig wouldn’t leave any trace, and if the owner came looking, it would definitely cause trouble. The big lawn was nearby, so this guinea pig probably came from there.

　　When Logan Bennett batted away Buddy, the guinea pig didn’t immediately take the chance to run away. Instead, it stayed put, watching the cats warily, and finally, as if making up its mind, inched its way over to Logan Bennett.

　　Logan Bennett: "……" Did it decide I wouldn’t eat it?

　　You had to admit, animals sometimes had a very keen sixth sense.

　　Logan Bennett flicked his tail, about to move farther away from the guinea pig, when out of the corner of his eye he caught a glimpse of a figure—a stranger!

　　If it were just a stranger, Logan Bennett wouldn’t have been so shocked. What shocked him was that he and the other three cats hadn’t noticed anyone approaching at all?! They didn’t even know how long this person had been there, or if he’d been hiding nearby just now?!

　　Logan Bennett’s gaze fell on the man’s hand. The man’s palm was turned inward, his body slightly blocking his right hand.

　　When their eyes met, Logan Bennett thought of the look in Jiao’s dad’s eyes that night when he killed the white mice. But Jiao’s dad only showed that look to the white mice, while the man in front of him made Logan Bennett feel an even deeper chill. This man… the things he’d killed were definitely not just mice!

　　Buddy was just startled by the sudden appearance of the person, then immediately turned his attention back to the furry ball hiding beside Logan Bennett, raising a paw to test it, still unwilling to give up.

　　Logan Bennett smacked Buddy with a paw. Was this idiot blind to the dangerous person here?!

　　Even while smacking Buddy, Logan Bennett didn’t take his eyes off the stranger. This person felt far too dangerous. The four of them were just like those white mice on the lab table that night—no way to escape, just waiting to have their necks snapped.

　　Big Ben was no longer lying in the grass. He sprang up, arched his back, fur bristling, ears laid back, and his eyes, no longer sleepy, flashed with menace. A warning growl rumbled from his throat: “Woooo—wooo—” He looked ready for battle. This was the first time Logan Bennett had seen Big Ben like this.

　　Maybe influenced by Logan Bennett and Big Ben, the other two also watched the man warily. Though a bit silly and careless, at this critical moment Buddy and Sheriff didn’t run off alone—true loyalty! Sheriff had actually been about to run, but seeing the other three unmoving, he stiffened, fur bristling, and stayed put.

　　What should they do?

　　Logan Bennett’s mind raced.

　　Running away immediately was one of the better options, and the most common, but Logan Bennett really wasn’t sure they could get away safely. The man’s gaze was still locked on them, as if any sudden move would trigger a crisis. The hand he hadn’t shown made Logan Bennett feel extremely threatened.

　　The standoff lasted about two minutes before the man smiled. With his smile, the tense atmosphere seemed to ease a lot. He shook out his arms, raised both hands and waved them, saying, “No need to be so nervous, little cats. I’m just here to look for a pet.”

　　As he spoke, he pointed at the guinea pig hiding behind Logan Bennett. But the guinea pig clearly wasn’t going to give him any face, snuggling even closer to Logan Bennett as if trying to avoid the man.

　　Logan Bennett let out a small sigh of relief, but didn’t dare let his guard down. He felt that the stranger had been holding something just now—maybe a blade, or something else—and had hidden it with a flick of his hand.

　　Who exactly was this person? Logan Bennett wondered.

　　“Hazel, come here, hurry up. If you don’t go back, your owner will get worried.” The man called out to the guinea pig, the furry ball hiding behind Logan Bennett.

　　The guinea pig didn’t respond, didn’t even show its face, nor make a sound.

　　“Hazel—” The man crouched down and called to the furry ball a few more times.

　　Logan Bennett cursed silently and shifted his body to the side, exposing the furry ball hiding behind him. He didn’t want to put himself and the others in danger because of this ball of fur.

　　Seeing the furry ball still unmoving, Logan Bennett nudged it a few times with his tail. Come on, hurry up and go!