Cat 143: How Many Owners?

Chapter 143: How Many Owners?

Yan Jiyun’s sudden dash to the music building wasn’t madness—he’d just had a bold, new idea.

Since he’d entered Copy B led by Teacher Qu, would bringing Teacher Qu to the music building allow him to return to Copy A?

There was another line of thinking as well, one he’d yet to confirm. He needed to observe a while longer.

As he’d suspected, once Teacher Qu’s trust rose, the teacher would chase after him, and follow him all the way to the music building.

Previously, he’d found himself with no entry point back to Copy A after fleeing from Copy B; but now, with Teacher Qu in pursuit, the “barrier” sealing the area had been lifted!

He could slip through the crack in the door, and Teacher Qu would bustle in after him.

So, as long as Teacher Qu was within range, the music building’s doors would open automatically.

Once inside, there was little change—the interior was quiet, subtly eerie, and like Teacher Qu’s old faculty dorm, damp and moldering, making every hair on Yan Jiyun’s furry body feel uneasy and limp.

“Guoba! Guoba, where are you?” Teacher Qu’s voice echoed in the hallway, unable to see where the black kitten had run. He could only call out.

Having finally squeezed inside, Yan Jiyun wasn’t about to leave the music building so soon.

He didn’t want to muddle through both copies’ quests in a daze—first he wanted to understand whether the instances were truly merged, or if this was now a single, more complex advanced copy generated post-merge.

For new players, a merged copy was just more advanced and intricate; for high-level players, it simply meant everything was much more difficult: main and side quests alike ratcheted up in complexity.

He guessed that everything they currently saw wasn’t real; after the system update, the instance had been rebooted, and was nothing like the two main quests at the outset.

Had he not just seen Teacher Qu’s paintings, he wouldn’t be thinking in this direction—but now, he suspected the real main plot had shifted.

He remembered crossing from the third floor of Copy A to the third floor of Copy B, then stumbling into Copy B’s storyline, losing the way back. At that time, Teacher Qu had trailed him as well; and again, now, Teacher Qu was right behind him.

He made it to the third floor. Teacher Qu’s voice faded, the footsteps behind resolving into only Ban Mo’s.

Ban Mo muttered, “Damn, so you actually CAN get inside the music building? Why didn’t I know this before?”

As soon as Yan Jiyun set paws on the third floor, melodious piano notes rang out, bell-like, as if leading to heaven’s gate.

It really felt like he’d crossed from Copy B back into Copy A.

Copy B’s music building was decrepit and gloomy, every window shuttered and the air oppressively dank—spending a single minute there chilled the bones. Meanwhile, Copy A’s building, though aged, was spotlessly maintained, sunlight streaming in by day, bustling with noisy students and that terrifying music teacher who’d struck fear into every player!

Damn—Teacher Qu—

No sooner had Yan Jiyun bolted into the corridor than he was scooped up, lightning-quick, by Teacher Qu clad in a casual suit, a gentle smile curling his lips, all tenderness.

Teacher Qu crouched gracefully and swiftly captured Yan Jiyun, fresh from Copy B: “Wuyun, we made a pact yesterday. You must listen and not run off, but you didn’t—so there will be consequences.”

Hell, the way the Teacher Qus pounced was exactly the same!

Where was the Teacher Qu from Copy B? He’d been right behind—why didn’t he snatch him away now?

Teacher Qu #2 was gone again!

Yan Jiyun struggled to wriggle free; he’d managed it from Copy B’s Teacher Qu, surely he could here too.

But he was overthinking it—this Teacher Qu had no intention of letting him go.

This gentle teacher—didn’t he know petting cats at school was wrong!

Teacher Qu said, “Wuyun, your punishment is to accompany me to class.”

From Guoba to Wuyun, Yan Jiyun: “……” He began to thrash with all his might.

Hell no, I don’t want to go to class! Let me go!

Mid-struggle, he spotted a familiar figure and let out an urgent “Meow!” toward them.

Hearing the cry, the student whipped around, eyes darting toward Yan Jiyun and the teacher clutching him.

The student began to approach!

Yan Jiyun writhed harder—he was certain that person was Qi Feng, his own “can opener”! Save me, please!

But before Qi Feng could get close, Ban Mo, even more excited, shot forward and grabbed him in a bear hug.

Ban Mo exclaimed, “Feng-ge, I finally found you, damn it!”

But Qi Feng, spotting him unharmed, simply pushed him aside. “Wait a second.”

Ban Mo guessed Qi Feng’s intentions and quickly tugged on his sleeve, whispering, “Feng-ge, you don’t think that cat is your Caramel, do you? I checked in the other instance—it belongs to Teacher Qu. The black cat is a guide NPC.”

Qi Feng arched a brow. “?”

As if he couldn’t recognize his own cat.

Qi Feng brushed past Ban Mo with certainty. “It’s not an NPC. That IS my Caramel.”

Even with Teacher Qu wrestling with him, Yan Jiyun relaxed hearing this—here, where other players mistook him for an NPC, his own “can opener” recognized him. He felt a wave of warmth.

Teacher Qu pinned Yan Jiyun in his arms. “Wuyun, be still.”

Qi Feng strode up to him. “Teacher, that’s my cat. Could you give him back to me?”

Teacher Qu, having finally tamed “Wuyun,” withdrew his gentle smile. “Students aren’t allowed to keep cats. How do you have one?”

Even if the black cat looked only six months old, it was clear Qi Feng had raised it personally. The two locked eyes.

Qi Feng stated, “I raised him. He’s my cat. Please, may I have him back, Teacher?”

Ban Mo tugged on his sleeve—it was so unlike the normally composed Feng-ge to be so certain that the cat was his. Wasn’t it an NPC?

He whispered from behind, “Feng-ge, maybe we should think this through?”

Qi Feng replied, “No need. It’s not an NPC. That’s my cat.”

Teacher Qu’s thin lips pressed into a straight line, then he laughed softly. “And if I refuse?”

Qi Feng suggested, “Let the cat choose his owner.”

Teacher Qu gripped Yan Jiyun’s paws, smoothing the fur on his back. “Students listen to teachers, not the other way around. You lot are far too mischievous. This cat is mine—no one’s taking him.”

He was more than stubborn—once Teacher Qu decided something, no one could change his mind.

Yan Jiyun inwardly grumbled—what the hell was wrong with this guy.

But how had Qi Feng recognized him and why was he quarreling with an NPC for his sake? That wasn’t like him at all.

Still, he couldn’t help being a bit happy about it.

He was important to Qi Feng, clearly.

But now what? Teacher Qu was growing visibly upset.

【Be Human】 Live Stream Chat：

“It’s here! Entering the battlefield! Hahahaha! Today’s stream should be called ‘Who’s the Real Owner?’”

“Damn, I’ve never seen players argue with an NPC over a cat before—let alone a cat who’s the root of so much drama! Should I assume that Level 5 streamer is really the kitten’s owner?”

“But isn’t the kitten actually human? Only became a cat after starting the game—how could he have an owner? At this point, I’m more intrigued by the kitten’s backstory—I really want to know if he truly has one! If so, this is getting kinky, LOL!”

“Ahhh [face turns yellow.jpg]—I want to watch so bad. The owner is handsome, too—such youthful owner, such youthful cat, running to each other!”

“Owner~ owner~ owner~ hehehe~”

“Kitten, tell us—who’s your owner?”

“Doesn’t anyone else think it’s odd to see a Level 5 streamer and the kitten together?”

Yan Jiyun never imagined he’d one day be the “femme fatale” archetype.

After the whole incense blackout and getting whisked to the music building by Teacher Qu, he had no wish to be taken by Teacher Qu alone—so seeing Qi Feng, he almost burst into tears.

But things weren’t going as he’d hoped. He knew how dangerous Teacher Qu could be; with a flick of the wrist, he could break a neck.

He fell silent; he truly feared Teacher Qu might strangle Qi Feng on the spot. If that happened, how could he ever get back to the real world?

Without Qi Feng—he’d be a stray cat forever!

A reality he’d never considered now loomed with harsh clarity.

He didn’t want to be a stray.

Yan Jiyun fixed his gaze on Qi Feng, standing tall before Teacher Qu, not a hint of submission. His presence was every bit a match for Teacher Qu’s.

Ban Mo hovered, worried Qi Feng would be taken away by the teacher.

Though he knew the black cat was an NPC, and not a threat, he’d never met the owner and couldn’t judge his strength.

Qi Feng, seeing Caramel pinned in some NPC’s arms—helpless—regretted not realizing sooner the cat had entered the copy.

In that moment, he nearly forgot that Caramel had a second owner.

Even with teammates split across instances, so too had Caramel become separated.

Collecting himself, Qi Feng stated, “My cat’s nose has three spots in a straight line on either side.”

Even Yan Jiyun was surprised. That was the pattern on his nose? He’d never noticed.

Give him a mirror, and he’d study his nose for sure.

Teacher Qu glanced down at the black cat in his lap, his expression stormy—could that even be seen on a pitch-black nose?

He let go of Yan Jiyun’s forelegs, his gentle face shadowed. “Wuyun, do you really have an owner?”

In his face, Yan Jiyun sensed a gathering storm.

Using all his might, Yan Jiyun broke free and dashed for the stairs.

Qi Feng and Ban Mo turned and followed immediately, while Teacher Qu, frowning, retreated to the restroom.

This filthy stray had shed black fur all over him.

Just how many owners did this cat have?

Yan Jiyun didn’t run far. Only Qi Feng and Ban Mo caught up—he’d predicted Teacher Qu, for the sake of face, wouldn’t chase.

He waited for them at the first-floor landing.

He wouldn’t reveal his identity to Ban Mo, but after the discussion about his nose, there was no reason to hide it from Qi Feng.

He was unquestionably, Qi Feng’s cat.

Seeing Qi Feng about to exit the building, Yan Jiyun called softly, “Meow?”

It wasn’t loud, but Qi Feng heard. At once, Yan Jiyun scrambled up the boy’s trousers in tears.

Qi Feng hugged his cat tightly.

Ban Mo almost barreled into them from behind.

It was the first time he’d seen any warmth in Qi Feng’s eyes—and felt a little dazed.

He’d seen him be ruthless with NPCs, savage to bullying players, and distant with his own teammates—never had he seen this gentle a side.

He was almost stupefied, his mind echoing a single question:

The black cat isn’t an NPC?

The black cat isn’t an NPC?

The black cat isn’t an NPC?

Qi Feng was even more moved—now that Caramel was back in his arms, all prior anxieties vanished.

Still, when he’d reached the third floor and Caramel and Ban Mo appeared, he was sure Ban Mo hadn’t been here yesterday.

He calmed, realizing the instance was trickier than expected. “Where’d you two come from?”

He used “you two,” not just “you”—he’d taken in everything Ban Mo had said and reorganized it mentally.

Yan Jiyun draped his front paws around Qi Feng’s neck and Qi Feng supported his hind legs, making it easy for Yan Jiyun to survey the surroundings and for Qi Feng to carry him—a double benefit. Most importantly, Qi Feng’s hold on the cat was completely natural.

Ban Mo was stunned by the scene.

After learning Caramel had entered the copy, he’d only briefly expressed surprise—he’d never seen how his friend interacted with his pet.

And now, he realized just how much Qi Feng cherished his cat.

Ban Mo glanced around. “Bro, let’s find somewhere to talk—there are too many people here.”

Qi Feng agreed. The three of them quickly slipped out of the building into the grove behind, the so-called “lovers’ lane.”

Ban Mo recounted everything that had happened in Copy B, while Qi Feng, having guessed much, just nodded.

He’d thought he was entering the instance “Mingya High School,” but once inside, the name had changed to “Mermaid.”

“I’m already on main quest four here,” Qi Feng said.

Yan Jiyun blinked. He himself had only made it to quest two in the parallel copy, while Qi Feng was already up to four.

Qi Feng spelled out the current main line: “I actually think the ‘Mermaid’ copy isn’t that hard. It’s a level two in terms of difficulty, pretty straightforward.”

Yan Jiyun stared at Qi Feng’s chin, determined to digest everything about the “Mermaid” main plot. He figured it should mostly align with what he’d already learned.

Qi Feng continued, “Jiang Shiwen is at the heart of this story. In her first year of high school, she was selected for the national music contest prep class—a group of over twenty students. During the summer, the school arranged a one-month intensive course, and three would go on to compete nationally.”

Ban Mo guessed, “Let me guess, a student died during the camp?”

Qi Feng nodded, “Right. The victim was a boy, Xiao Yue. If nothing happened, he would have been one of the three, but before the final solo assessment, he was found dead in the dormitory.”

“Suicide?” asked Ban Mo.

“Correct, but everyone in the summer camp thought Xiao Yue had no reason to kill himself. No siblings, doted on by parents. The only whispered motive was jealousy—someone envied his talent and killed him.”

Yan Jiyun listened thoughtfully—the parallels between the two copies’ quests became ever clearer. Perhaps this trip back had truly been worthwhile.

Ban Mo pressed, “Really? If you didn’t want him to compete, couldn’t you just slip some laxative in his water on audition day? That’s not really hard. Killing is going way too far.”

Yan Jiyun thought: Most murders begin over trifles; some people’s jealousy is just that fierce.

Qi Feng didn’t comment, but continued, explaining his current progress—a topic Yan Jiyun was eager to hear.

“Jiang Shiwen was the first to be murdered. Another went missing just this morning. Right now, it’s clear—the point is to find the best singer and the killer. Main quests one and two are done; the current main quest three is to find the murderer.”

“So soon?” Ban Mo was surprised.

“It’s only this instance. Didn’t you mention there’s still ‘Mingya High School?’” Qi Feng added.

This prompted a realization for Yan Jiyun: Qi Feng had known from the start that there were two instances—old player’s intuition.

Ban Mo said, “I met this really friendly player in the other instance, named Yan Jiyun—I’m not sure if I mentioned him.”

Qi Feng’s eyes brightened at the mention of the curly-haired newcomer: “Yan Jiyun? I remember him—we teamed up in the Peak Finals.”

“Then I won’t say more. He made it from this instance to ‘Mingya High School,’ though I don’t know how.”

Qi Feng returned the question. “And how did you come over?”

Ban Mo blinked and pointed to the cat in his arms. “I followed it—your Caramel.”

The words “your Caramel” clearly pleased Qi Feng, who scratched Yan Jiyun’s neck, causing him to unintentionally purr.

The purring—a uniquely feline reaction—felt almost shameful.

Hold it in. Don’t purr.

Purr~

Purr~

Purr~

【Be Human】 Live Stream Chat:

“I think that’s the first time I’ve heard the kitten purr! He’s getting cuter by the minute! I thought he couldn’t purr!”

“Me too—this proves everything. The real owner is the Level 5 host!”

“Holy crap, the kitten really has an owner? No, he seems to have several—too many to count, hahaha!”

“I don’t think it’s an owner per se, maybe the Level 5 host is a longtime friend—the kitten just trusts him. Otherwise, why would it call out and leap into his arms?”

“Back at the Peak Finals, the kitten and this human were totally off from the start. Jealousy’s eating me alive! I want to pet the kitten, too!”

“Why not head to the Level 5 host’s stream and cuddle it yourself? With first-person cam, I’ve had my fill—the purring’s deafening!”

“You’re right! Thanks, straight there!”

Just as viewers observed, people and pets always resemble each other.

Feng-ge was usually cold as ice, so was his cat. Neither liked strangers.

Ban Mo asked, “So how come he never so much as twitched when I called him yesterday?”

Qi Feng, clearly delighted, let his smile widen. “He’s wary by nature—only recognizes me as his owner.”

“Are you sure?” Ban Mo mused. “I almost forgot—Caramel ran into the music building, and Teacher Qu chased in after him. But once inside, there was another Teacher Qu dressed differently. When I saw you, I didn’t think much of it, but now it seems strange.”

“Two Teacher Qus,” Qi Feng confirmed.

Yan Jiyun thought Ban Mo was a little slow to catch on, but Qi Feng had already figured it out.

Qi Feng asked, “What about the NPC situation in your instance? Are they the same as here?”

“Almost identical,” said Ban Mo, “except the main quests are different. Ours is the supernatural version—lots of creepy stuff comes out at night. You want to know how I found your Caramel?”

Normally, Qi Feng would’ve cut off a digression, but since the talk was about Caramel, he didn’t.

“Mm?”

Yan Jiyun, meanwhile, thought: Can we just stick to the copy plot? Why are we talking about how we met?

Ban Mo, animated, recounted, “Shi Yan and I ran out of the dorm and saw Caramel under a plane tree, surrounded by a bunch of ghost hands.”

Qi Feng hugged Yan Jiyun tighter, frowning. “Ghost hands?”

“Supernatural copy—they come with the territory.”

“I mean, did they scare Caramel?”

“At first, yeah, but then he was cooler than any of us. Your Caramel is something else.”

Yan Jiyun thought, Of course—no ordinary cat turns into a person.

After comparing notes, Yan Jiyun realized Qi Feng’s logic was similar to his own, while Ban Mo was still stuck in ordinary whodunit logic.

Qi Feng concluded, “After the system update, the two instances merged, so the main quest must have changed.”

“Huh?”

“I need some proof to confirm my guess.”

Ban Mo scratched his head. “Where do you see that? Isn’t it clear? Two instances, two main quests.”

Qi Feng explained: “Would the system make it that easy? Two instances, two main quests, all mystery-themed, every NPC reused—figured out, and you could deduce both main villains with simple logic. If these were standalone copies, no problem. But now, the nature of the instance is different. The real point is still this music building, and Teacher Qu.”

Qi Feng had now summed up all of Yan Jiyun’s deductions, having guessed from the paintings—Qi Feng from Ban Mo’s description.

Yan Jiyun rubbed the side of his face against Qi Feng’s jaw in admiration.

That’s my guy! Brilliant!

As Yan Jiyun was busy headbutting praise into Qi Feng, a system notice arrived:

【You have skipped half a day of class. Four hours of game time deducted.】

Yan Jiyun: Game time deducted????