Cat 146: One Person, One Cat

Chapter 146: One Person, One Cat

[Want To Be Human] Livestream Channel:

“Tsk, so cute. Does the kitten have a special fondness for level 5 streamers? Every time, it takes the initiative to pounce on them, and the level 5 streamer doesn’t seem bothered at all.”

“Isn’t it obvious? The level 5 streamer is the kitten’s owner. But why is the kitten’s plotline different from what I’ve seen before? Was there ever a plot where Han Ruibai was captured?”

“There’s no mention here of Han Ruibai being caught. Is it possible Han Ruibai isn’t that mysterious figure?”

“The kitten has crashed into this instance, but it doesn’t seem to have found much information. What’s really going on with Han Ruibai?”

“This is the fastest the kitten has reached main quest 4, but the instance can’t be that simple, right? Teacher Qu’s secret still hasn’t been resolved.”

“But Teacher Qu’s secret isn’t written in the quest. What role is he really playing in this game?”

“If, as they say, the two instances have merged into the main storyline, but the system hasn’t revealed any quests, then this guess doesn’t make sense either.”

The quietly restored music building was the setting Yan Jiyun knew best; he truly didn’t want to endure this fear any longer.

With his “can opener” here this time, he could feel a little more at ease—no need for his fragile heart to delve into every terrifying classroom.

At this moment, Xue Ping was still in a second-floor classroom, searching for Han Ruibai. Judging by the speed at which he was opening doors, he seemed quite worried about Han Ruibai.

Qi Feng pushed open the door to classroom 302 in front of them.

The room was shrouded in darkness. The curtains had already been pulled shut, letting through only a faint sliver of light.

Yan Jiyun climbed onto Qi Feng’s shoulder. Since the kitten refused to stay in the backpack, Qi Feng just let it be—if it got scared, it would probably crawl back inside. After all, it had just hidden in his arms when it was frightened; Qi Feng felt a little relieved.

He gently pushed open the door, first checking both sides behind the door for possible ambushes before stepping inside.

To avoid alarming that mysterious person, Qi Feng didn’t call for Xue Ping downstairs—he would only be a hindrance at this point.

Yan Jiyun, knowing no one was hiding behind the door, turned directly to see someone in a school uniform lying next to the piano. The villain of this instance seemed to have an unusual obsession with the piano.

But that person was definitely not Han Ruibai, since their shoes didn’t match Han Ruibai’s.

Qi Feng went to the window and drew back the curtain, flooding the entire music classroom with sunlight.

The difference between a classroom bathed in sunlight and one deprived of it was immense; the atmosphere of dread was instantly dispelled.

Qi Feng spotted a student, knocked out and lying next to the piano.

He stepped forward and first checked the person’s breathing. Standing on his shoulder, Yan Jiyun already knew the identity of this student.

As expected—it was Liu Yixuan!

As soon as they saw this, the system notification followed.

[Congratulations, player, for completing main quest 4: “The Next One.” The points reward will be issued after the instance ends.]

Qi Feng received the same system message.

He patted the unconscious Liu Yixuan, who awoke just as main quest 4 was completed.

Liu Yixuan clutched his head. “Where am I?”

Yan Jiyun felt his motions a bit contrived—there was no sign of surprise.

Qi Feng said, “The music classroom. Do you remember what happened before you passed out?”

It had been seven or eight minutes since the “fire” was discovered in the music building. How had Liu Yixuan ended up in here?

Liu Yixuan said, “I remember someone announced a fire in the music building. I rushed out of the classroom with my classmates, but I was slower, falling behind the others. There was a crush of people, and someone in front fell—that was my classmate. I helped him up when he twisted his ankle and supported him as we walked along the wall. Then, I smelled something strange, and after that I lost consciousness. When I woke up, I was here.”

Qi Feng told him coldly and directly, “You’ve gotten yourself involved in something.”

Recalling how he’d been drugged and knocked out, Liu Yixuan grew instantly anxious. “W-What have I gotten into? I’m not going to be pushed into the lake like Yang Pingping, am I?”

Qi Feng, his expression unreadable, said, “If I’d arrived a little later, you might well have met that fate tonight. But now, you need to tell me what happened between you, Yang Pingping, and the others during the intensive training class in your freshman year.”

Liu Yixuan turned pale. “I don’t know. I don’t know anything. Did Jiang Shiwen and Yang Pingping both die because of this?”

Qi Feng said, “That’s how it looks. I suspect Yang Pingping’s death is connected to Xiao Yue.”

Yan Jiyun nodded to himself. At first, he’d thought the spat between Jiang Shiwen and Cheng Su was just about who liked whom, so everyone believed it had nothing to do with the training class. But now, with Han Ruibai added to the mix, everything clicked. Someone must have manipulated Cheng Su into killing Jiang Shiwen.

But who was it? The only one connecting them all was Han Ruibai, whose actions were highly suspicious.

Yet, subconsciously, Yan Jiyun didn’t believe it was him.

Liu Yixuan looked around warily. “Who are you, anyway?”

Qi Feng replied, “I’m a detective commissioned by the police. They can’t investigate directly within the school, so the entire case is in my hands. I hope you’ll cooperate. Oh, and let me introduce—this cat is my assistant.” He deliberately pointed to the caramel-furred cat perched on his shoulder.

Yan Jiyun: “……”

If Qi Feng weren’t a player, even he might have been fooled. Qi Feng’s demeanor was so sincerely earnest that even such a melodramatic role didn’t break the immersion—in fact, it lent him credibility.

Noted, he thought. That’s a skill to learn.

Posing as a police consultant immediately put Liu Yixuan more at ease, his anxiety subsiding.

Liu Yixuan said, “I don’t know where to begin, but I had nothing to do with what happened. I think the perpetrator is targeting the wrong person.”

Qi Feng said, “Why don’t you start from the beginning? Tell me what you know. Did Xiao Yue really commit suicide?”

Recalling those events, Liu Yixuan’s face clouded with discomfort. “The police released an autopsy report. It was suicide.”

To help Liu Yixuan relax, Qi Feng sat cross-legged across from him, lifting the caramel cat from his shoulder and settling it in his lap. “Why not tell me about what happened in the training class?”

Liu Yixuan pondered for a moment. For a name like Xiao Yue, buried for over a year, it wasn’t easy to bring it up.

“We attended the intensive training class in the second semester of our freshman year. A total of twenty-five students were selected. Don’t be surprised—there are plenty of talented vocalists among first-years. Our school sends lots of students to prestigious music colleges every year. Music is a major feature here; many students choose Mingya High School specifically for that reason. I was no different.”

“We all came to the training class over summer break, full of enthusiasm. The teacher who led us at the time left because of the Xiao Yue incident.”

Qi Feng followed up, “Once you joined, how did the teacher organize the training?”

He also wanted to know about Xiao Yue, but there was no use rushing—best to get all the details first.

Yan Jiyun found a comfortable spot to sprawl across Qi Feng’s lap, listening intently to Liu Yixuan’s recollections, striving to gather as much information as possible. Fortunately, Qi Feng’s questions hit all the key points, so the cat simply listened on.

Liu Yixuan said, “After joining the class, the boys and girls were split into dorms. There were twelve girls and thirteen boys; we had one extra, so one dorm had four boys and the rest had three each, which felt fair.”

Qi Feng asked, “Who shared a room with Xiao Yue?”

Liu Yixuan replied, “He was in the same dorm as me and Yang Pingping. Honestly, we were from different classes and not familiar at first.”

Qi Feng: “And Han Ruibai?”

Liu Yixuan: “He was next door to us. Our two rooms got along quite well. Since there were three spots up for grabs, everyone was putting in extra effort to impress the teacher, trying to show their best side. But really, music is mostly about talent.”

Qi Feng: “What do you mean?”

Liu Yixuan let out a breath. “Looking at us, many would say we were a bunch of bright, attractive teenagers. But when you put twenty-five people together, you realize some just naturally stand out.”

Qi Feng: “You mean Xiao Yue?”

Liu Yixuan: “Yes, he was the gifted one—a true prodigy. No matter how close you tried to get, he always seemed a world apart, in every sense.”

Qi Feng asked, “What kind of person was Xiao Yue?”

Liu Yixuan said, “There’s no denying he was handsome and well-mannered. He was approachable, yet carried a certain distance. Apart from his family background, his musical talent was even more remarkable. At fourteen or fifteen, I thought vocal technique was a big achievement, but he was already considered a straight-A student at that age, with a wonderful voice, skilled at many instruments, and able to compose his own songs. He could have gone to the world’s top music schools at any time. When the girls in our class saw him, their eyes lit up—he was already famous at school. He seemed flawless in every way. Even as a competitor, I couldn’t dislike him. Like many others, I found it hard to believe he’d commit suicide.”

From his backpack, Qi Feng took out a notebook, laid it on Yan Jiyun’s back, and crossed out “bullying” from the blank page.

Yan Jiyun sensed Qi Feng writing on his back, looked up at him, and got a playful scratch in return.

Given what Liu Yixuan said, the incident hadn’t originated from bullying. What, then, could have driven Xiao Yue to suicide?

Qi Feng decided to focus on Xiao Yue’s roommates. “Did anything unusual happen between you, Yang Pingping, and Xiao Yue?”

Liu Yixuan shook his head. “He kept a regular routine. Both Yang Pingping and I were inspired by his love of music—he even taught us how to compose.”

As Xiao Yue’s only surviving roommate, the focus now shifted to the next-door dorm.

Qi Feng: “Who was in the room next door?”

Liu Yixuan: “We were in the room closest to the hallway; only Han Ruibai’s dorm was nearby. During training, we interacted with them the most.”

Qi Feng pressed on: “Other than you, who else was Xiao Yue close to?”

Liu Yixuan hesitated. “Han Ruibai. He spent more time with Han Ruibai than anyone else. After class, the two often stayed behind to practice piano. He kept his distance from most people, but not Han Ruibai—they were true friends, sharing everything. With Han Ruibai, Xiao Yue seemed just like an ordinary high school student, a normal teenager. Do you get what I mean?” He glanced at Qi Feng, who had classic “school heartthrob” looks and stood at six-foot-one. “Maybe you can’t understand—some things can’t be earned with effort alone. Some people are born in Rome, after all.”

Yan Jiyun watched Qi Feng’s faintly furrowed brow and then looked at Liu Yixuan. He understood why Liu Yixuan said that—perhaps Qi Feng was just the kind of person Xiao Yue had been.

But Yan Jiyun didn’t really know much about Qi Feng’s past either. His “can opener” remained a mystery, and ever since they’d entered the game, Yan Jiyun hadn’t gotten a good look at him.

Qi Feng said, “But without effort, you definitely won’t get it.”

Liu Yixuan: “Hearing you say that actually makes me feel a little better.”

Qi Feng nodded. “So, during the training, Han Ruibai and Xiao Yue were the closest. Did either of them have any conflicts with others? Or did you or Yang Pingping have any arguments with Han Ruibai?”

Liu Yixuan shook his head. “That’s unlikely. We were all focused on making a good impression on the teacher and improving our skills. Besides, Xiao Yue always looked out for him—how could we be in conflict? And Xiao Yue certainly wouldn’t.”

Qi Feng tried another approach. “Did Xiao Yue compose anything during the training?”

Liu Yixuan nodded. “He did, though he didn’t write much at first. The week before his suicide, he composed a song a day, almost as if inspired.”

Qi Feng probed, “Did you see his sheet music?”

Liu Yixuan: “It was hard not to, since we shared a room. Sometimes he left the sheets on his desk. But I never looked without his permission. As for Yang Pingping, I couldn’t say—she was very curious.”

Qi Feng: “Which of his songs did you like most?”

Liu Yixuan shook his head. “They were all private works, never made public. That’s an odd question.”

Qi Feng: “Just making conversation. The more I know, the better I can find out who attacked you.”

Liu Yixuan: “Thank you. Could I request police protection?”

Qi Feng: “Of course. Go wait in your classroom.”

Liu Yixuan stood up and ran downstairs right in front of Qi Feng.

He’d looked terrified at first, but now he seemed perfectly calm.

Yan Jiyun reflected on Liu Yixuan’s account of Xiao Yue and Han Ruibai, as well as their mutual relationships. Liu Yixuan had cast himself as the model classmate, subtly steering Qi Feng’s suspicions toward Yang Pingping and Han Ruibai.

He had to be hiding something.

After Xiao Yue’s suicide, the training class students should have all been questioned by the police. Afraid of being grilled, some would gloss over or embellish details—just as Liu Yixuan was doing.

Was Xiao Yue truly as wonderful as described?

Was Yang Pingping really the sort to snoop through his sheet music, as implied?

What was the real nature of Xiao Yue and Han Ruibai’s relationship?

While Liu Yixuan’s information remained to be verified, they’d learned something new nevertheless—the relationship between Han Ruibai and Xiao Yue wasn’t simple; they had been close.

Now, they needed to find Han Ruibai.

Watching Liu Yixuan flee, Qi Feng didn’t suspect him to be the mysterious culprit, but only about thirty percent of what he’d said was trustworthy. Most of the story had been sanitized, offering little valuable information—but there were still gains to be made.

Both the person and the cat stood up from the piano classroom floor in unison, having gathered the clues.

Yan Jiyun stretched his forelegs forward in an extravagant, lazy yawn, while Qi Feng reached both arms up in a smaller one of his own. As if on cue, they both ended their stretches at the same moment.

Qi Feng extended his arm toward Yan Jiyun, a faint smile touching the corners of his lips. With a cat around, he couldn’t help himself. “Let’s go, Caramel.”

Yan Jiyun leaped deftly onto his proffered arm, using it as a springboard to his shoulder, where he perched with practiced confidence.

Qi Feng was just a young adult—his shoulders not as broad as a fully grown man’s, but the muscle was evident, hinting at explosive power. Up close, Yan Jiyun saw that his features still held a youthful delicacy. If he entered show business with that face, he’d be a shoo-in as a top idol.

Unable to resist, Yan Jiyun pressed a paw against his plump, youthful cheek.

Qi Feng glanced over, “Why are you touching my face?”

Yan Jiyun turned away, feigning indifference, pretending not to understand—a cat just had its fun.

[Want To Be Human] Livestream Channel:

“Damn, I loved that interaction! My heart just skipped a beat; the level 5 streamer is so handsome, so doting, so gentle. Ever since I learned he’s the kitten’s owner, my mind’s been running wild with weird ideas.”

“Ahh! So damn cute! Isn’t this supposed to be a horror game channel? Why am I watching adorable pet-owner bonding moments here?”

“Why don’t I have a boyfriend who could turn into a cat? I’d smother him in kisses!”

“Gosh, with that much time spent together, no wonder they even move in sync. I demand the details of their daily life within three minutes!”

“Now I want to go play the game myself.”

“You’d better not—last time, that group of ‘mice’ who went in to live as NPCs were scared out of their wits.”

“Am I the only one still coldly focused on what info Liu Yixuan actually revealed? Is Han Ruibai really avenging his friend Xiao Yue?”

“This instance is baffling. I’m just waiting for the kitten to solve the mystery for me.”

Atmosphere in Yan Jiyun’s channel remained harmonious, but things were less friendly in Qi Feng’s stream.

[Who Saw My Cat] Livestream Channel:

“Ever since Brother Feng brought that cat in, the vibes have been off. He could be blazing through the stages alone. Why bother with a pet that just slows him down? He should just ditch it—it’s pointless.”

“I disagree. What’s wrong with him bringing his own cat with him? Don’t like it, don’t watch. The channel’s much more fun now, and I love that smart little black cat.”

“You guys have been in his chat long enough, yet you don’t get his strategy. I’m different—I want to know why his pet can join the instance when other players’ can’t.”

“Good question—why is Brother Feng the only one allowed a pet, and not the others?”

The liveliness of their channels had little to do with Yan Jiyun or Qi Feng themselves; neither cared about the audience. If anything, ignoring the viewers brought unexpected rewards—more than enough tips, after all.

After a brief rest, Yan Jiyun and Qi Feng were met by Xue Ping, coming up from the second to the third floor.

The Xiao Yue incident must have happened before Xue Ping’s and Han Ruibai’s families merged, so they’d probably learn nothing useful from him.

Still, Xue Ping’s concern for Han Ruibai was clearly genuine.

Qi Feng probed, “Do you know about what happened to Xiao Yue?”

Xue Ping paused, caught off guard. “Xiao Yue? You mean the student who committed suicide?”

Qi Feng: “Yes.”

Xue Ping: “Why are you asking about that now?”

Qi Feng didn’t answer, but kept pressing. “Did you know Han Ruibai and Xiao Yue were very close?”

Xue Ping frowned. “I suppose they got along? I remember when my stepmother first moved in that summer, the training class had just started. One day, I came back to school to play ball and saw Han Ruibai and Xiao Yue talking about a piece of music. You don’t think Han Ruibai is avenging Xiao Yue’s death, do you? No way!”

Qi Feng hadn’t expected such a strong reaction.

Everyone has secrets—it’ll take time to uncover them. Yan Jiyun figured it was best to find Han Ruibai first.

Suddenly, a faint moan came from upstairs. Yan Jiyun leapt from Qi Feng’s shoulder immediately.

Qi Feng couldn’t be bothered to get more out of Xue Ping; he chased after his cat.

Xue Ping was momentarily stunned, then called, “Where are you going? Help me find Han Ruibai!” After a beat, he ran after them.

Yan Jiyun once again arrived at classroom 402.

This time, Han Ruibai hadn’t collapsed, but stood by the piano, clutching his head, lost in thought.

Now wasn’t the time for Yan Jiyun to take human form, so he stood in the doorway, peering in. Qi Feng, swift on his feet, caught up almost instantly, Xue Ping following right behind with his long strides.

With Qi Feng by his side, Yan Jiyun padded boldly into the room.

[Congratulations, player, on triggering main quest 5: Uncover the truth behind Xiao Yue’s suicide.]

[Quest details: Xiao Yue was an extraordinary musical genius, but suddenly took his own life. To this day, its true cause remains unknown. Please reconstruct what really happened; generous points will be awarded upon completion.]

Yan Jiyun got the system’s quest—he and Qi Feng shared the same progress. The truth was just within their grasp.

Han Ruibai had been suspicious from the start, but so had everyone else. Since the police had ruled Xiao Yue’s death a suicide, its cause must be suicide according to science. But the quest left the real truth for the players to discover—a far harder task than just finding a cause of death.

Xue Ping was the first to rush in. “Han Ruibai, are you alright?”

Han Ruibai rested one hand on the piano. He turned to Xue Ping and said, “I got knocked out again.”

He really did look as if he’d just woken up.

Suddenly, Qi Feng said, “You knocked yourself out.”

Han Ruibai looked at him, puzzled. “What are you talking about?”

Qi Feng said, “Because you wanted to frame Liu Yixuan for Yang Pingping’s death—and because of Xiao Yue.”

Han Ruibai sat silently at the piano and pressed down a white key with his long fingers.

Yan Jiyun was filled with doubt. None of Han Ruibai’s actions seemed villainous; why was Qi Feng baiting him?