Explore Chapter 26 of 'Cat Country' with the original Chinese text, English translation, detailed Chinese vocabulary explanations, and audio of the Chinese original. Listen and improve your reading skills.
I hid in a corner, watching the last felinoids still fighting over a bit of intoxicating leaves. They were like starved, mad beasts, tearing at each other, completely forgetting the crisis of their nation's fall and home's destruction. Some who seized the intoxicating leaves immediately stuffed them into their mouths and fell to the ground, savoring the momentary numbness. Those who failed, with reddened eyes, pried open their companions' mouths until both perished together.
Suddenly, foreign troops marched in. They wore neat uniforms, carried gleaming weapons, and marched in step, effortlessly occupying Felicity. The felinoids offered no resistance, only concerned with saving themselves or looting. Some even approached to curry favor with the foreigners, hoping for some reward.
I recalled Young Scorpion's words: the Cat Kingdom was hopeless. The loss of character, the failure of education, selfishness and cruelty had long doomed it to extinction. The foreign troops did not slaughter, only watched coldly from the sidelines, as if watching a farce. They occupied the important institutions, posted notices ordering the felinoids to obey, but the felinoids could not even read the notices, remaining as confused and oblivious as ever.
I found the wreckage of my aircraft. It was still in its original place, half-buried in sand. I painstakingly dug away the sand and inspected the damaged parts. Fortunately, the main structure was still intact. I spent several days gathering some materials and barely managed to repair it. During this time, Felicity had been completely controlled by the foreigners, and the felinoids became slaves. But they did not seem to feel any pain, as long as they had intoxicating leaves to eat, they were content.
Before leaving, I took one last look at Felicity. The rows of houses, once crowded with people, were now empty, with only foreign soldiers patrolling. The stench from the foul ditches grew stronger, mingled with the smell of blood and burning. In the distance, the groves of intoxicating leaves had been taken over by the foreigners, and the felinoids landlords like Scorpion and his ilk had also vanished without a trace.
I started the aircraft and slowly ascended. From above, Felicity looked like a giant tomb, gray and hazy, devoid of any vitality. I recalled the curiosity and hope when I first arrived, now only disappointment and sighs remained. The civilization of the Cat Kingdom had quietly gone extinct, without even a cry.