Cat 303: Guild Alliance

Chapter 303 Guild Alliance

With everything laid bare between Yan Jiyun and Qi Feng, their conversations grew that much deeper.

The “real world” was nothing more than a minor instance opened up by the game for players, with surveillance not nearly as tight as in Central City. Their discussion went unnoticed by the system; otherwise, if protocol were followed, the two of them would have been forcibly dragged back into the game under some pretext.

Yan Jiyun guessed that perhaps the traitor within the NPC camp had not reported to the higher-ups.

His memory remained incomplete, but whenever he contacted people or events from his past, he found those memories automatically filling in. After discussing everything with Qi Feng about the zombie instance, he was able to recall almost all the details related to it.

In summary, there were now three major obstacles to escaping the game: First, the traitor among the NPCs still hadn’t been identified; second, on the player side, there was the uncertainty over who might be watching on behalf of the game; third, how to leave the game and ultimately end it. If they merely escaped the game and were discovered, they might be recaptured, and the result would likely be death for all players trying to leave. Ending the game entirely would mean freeing everyone from the endless cycles of instance runs.

If key NPCs and players entered the instance as pure consciousness, did this mean that players who died in the game had truly died?

When NPCs are killed in the game, they can be revived for the next group of players. Could it be the same for dead players? Perhaps they hadn’t truly died.

If that was true, then their tasks ahead were far greater than they imagined.

Qi Feng had refrained from top-tier instances for years for a few reasons: to search for a way to leave, to find the NPC who once offered to cooperate with him, and, if possible, to destroy the game altogether.

So far, only the second goal had been achieved, but accomplishing it also provided a clue to the first. The third—to destroy the game—would only be possible by unifying all the guilds.

For years, he had stayed in touch with the major guilds. Three years earlier, he’d realized there were always a few players whose behavior seemed oddly inconsistent; all players experienced similar initial events. In-game, even the best friends would be betrayed—guides would backstab, teammates would steal items or points. All sorts of things happened to make one lose faith in cooperation, and become increasingly wary.

Qi Feng had encountered more than a few of these, but through repeated experience, he’d developed some insights. These people seemed to approach him on purpose—charming at first, then suddenly revealing malice. At first he’d attributed it to the stress of the game, but eventually, he realized it was likely something more. His pursuit of the truth had led him to allies like Lan Mo and Sister Liang.

After confiding fully in Qi Feng, Yan Jiyun returned to the game and realized he no longer felt hunger. It was a self-imposed setting; everything in the game was just an illusion—a product of consciousness.

NPCs with powerful wills could even create their own instances and serve as bosses. The game was simply an imprisonment of their kind, manipulating their minds.

By now, all of their companions had returned from the game and were sprawled across the couches at their base, some napping haphazardly, others lingering in personal spaces. Not everyone preferred solitude, so the living room, crowded with two sets of sofas, was rather congested.

Gu Wenzhu was adjusting his glasses, seated across from his refined-looking teammate Zhuang You. The two were engaged in a chess match.

“You’re finally back,” Gu Wenzhu was the first to notice them appear. He glanced around, but didn’t see Caramel.

Qi Feng was forthright: “Zhuang You, call everyone out for a meeting.”

Yan Jiyun gestured to Gu Wenzhu. “Wake those two up. There’s something major to announce.”

Seeing the seriousness on their faces, no one hesitated. Some roused the sleepers, others sent out messages—each to their task. In no time, the entire team had assembled in the conference room next door.

They’d originally intended to reconvene in the “real world,” but within the side instance, everyone would have needed to wait half a day to meet in one place. It was easier to explain everything at their base in familiar terms.

Qi Feng only mentioned the incident with the NPC author in the zombie instance; having now found him and decided to cooperate, the next step was to approach several familiar guild leaders—they would be entering the top-tier instance in four days.

Sister Liang asked, “Brother Feng, do you really think you can convince the big guilds to storm the top-tier instance with us? Life outside of here might not be so dazzling anymore—will they agree?”

Shi Yan said, “A lot of the bigger guilds set aside special teams for this sort of thing long ago.”

Zhuang You said, “What I’m more concerned about is what Boss mentioned about watchers—if they’re everywhere, how do we identify them?”

Qi Feng assured them, “That’s not a problem; we have ways to spot them.”

Qi Feng chaired this meeting, leaving Yan Jiyun content, for the moment, to remain silent.

For now, they all shared a common cause—problems that no individual could solve were coming to light together.

If Yan Jiyun hadn’t mentioned the NPC traitor, or revealed his identity to Qi Feng, he might never have learned that there were also monitors among the players themselves. As ever, the NPCs alone would likely never have escaped; only united with the players could they hope to leave—or destroy—the game.

Yet, there was still no clear plan.

Qi Feng said, “Next, we need to unite with reliable guilds to enter the top-tier instance. Only those we can trust.”

As Yan Jiyun had said, Teacher Qu would only set up a top-tier instance for good reason.

They analyzed the situation: perhaps Teacher Qu and the others had critical information that could only be shared within this instance. They’d only been able to gain quick access to the championship instance through consciousness infiltration, but couldn’t stay long. In an instance controlled by themselves, however, it would be different.

Now, the problem was, how many guilds would be willing to go all in and risk the top-tier instance with them? Once it started, there’d be no certainty of survival; and thus far, they knew little of the powers controlling the game.

As the meeting ended, everyone set to work: some began contacting guilds, others to strategize for the coming conflict. The mood was one of bold determination.

After all these years, they finally had a chance to face the wretches who had imprisoned them in this endless game.

Yan Jiyun’s responsibility was to contact Chu Mo’s Nameless Guild. He sent a message to Chu Mo, while Qi Feng reached out to other familiar guilds.

Only one guild remained untouched—Fenghuo Guild.

Lounging with one leg crossed, Yan Jiyun tapped the armrest and asked Qi Feng, who had just finished messaging everyone, “Is Su Qiuming one of the monitors?”

They had only sent out invitations for the gathering, not specifying their purpose. Game surveillance didn’t include the content of chats, or there would be no need for hidden observers.

Qi Feng said, “I’ve always suspected as much.”

Yan Jiyun considered, “He always struck me as ambiguous—neither good nor bad. What traits do these monitors have?”

Qi Feng replied, “They have odd temperaments, are prone to outbursts or sudden personality shifts—like Xu Xian, who used to hang around Su Qiuming. His mind was probably taken over by a monitor long ago.”

Yan Jiyun pondered, “If that’s true, is Su Qiuming also a monitor? He doesn’t have those traits.”

Qi Feng said, “His attitude is elusive, so I’ve never been able to resolve my suspicions.”

Yan Jiyun knocked his own head. “Tch, if my memory was fully restored, I think I could guess.”

Afraid he’d knock himself senseless, Qi Feng grabbed his hand, pulling him up from the couch. “No more of that or you’ll get even dumber. Come on, we have to see Qi Yunchu.”

This time, with him in the lead, the matter was no small one—indeed, even more important than last time. It was a crucial exchange of information, and a negotiation.

Time waited for no one.

They left at once.

After they’d gone, Lan Mo suddenly recalled something and ran out to ask, “Wait, where’s Caramel?”

Qi Feng said, “He’s safe, don’t worry.”

Lan Mo, rubbing his close-cropped hair, couldn’t understand why Qi Feng didn’t let the cat out anymore—was he worried the cat would get in the way?

“Coffee?” Gu Wenzhu offered Lan Mo a mug. “Might not get another chance to enjoy this for a while.”

“Yes.” Lan Mo liked the aroma of coffee. Since he considered Gu Wenzhu a teammate, he asked, “What do you think—why isn’t Brother Feng letting Caramel out? Having a cat running around is so comforting.”

Shi Yan recalled how Qi Feng acted toward Caramel in the game. “Don’t you think Feng treats Caramel like a wife? He listens to everything Caramel says, does whatever Caramel wants. He’d grab the moon if Caramel wanted it.”

Sister Liang, practicing sword moves, quipped, “That’s nothing new for cat slaves. In some countries, people even marry their cats and dogs. If Boss said he wanted to marry Caramel, I wouldn’t even be surprised.”

Shi Yan said, “If Boss marries Caramel, what happens to Xiao Yan? That scenario doesn’t work.”

Zhuang You said, “Then that’s the happy little family sorted.”

Gu Wenzhu surveyed them and sighed—they just didn’t have the eyes to see the truth.

He joined the topic. “They’re not together.”

He Yuanle, munching on an ice cream, said, “Aren’t they the reason we all moved in together?”

Everyone looked his way.

Zhuang You said, “No way. Whenever Xiao Yan’s around, Boss’s eyes are glued to him. Still not together?”

Shi Yan added, “Exactly. Xiao Yan doesn’t seem clueless either—how could he not know Boss likes him?”

Qiu Xi nodded vigorously, holding up a notebook with the words: Exactly, exactly!

Gu Wenzhu commented, “Maybe he’s being cautious.”

Everyone, reminded of the cooperation ahead, sighed in unison and concluded: the future is uncertain—better not to fall in love. Being a single dog is fine.

Yan Jiyun and Qi Feng remained oblivious to how their teammates’ gossip was drawing them closer as a unit.

The two of them met with several reputable guild leaders in a single day and received positive feedback from all their trusted contacts.

In short order, the major guilds began internal checks for “game monitors.”

Four days later, twenty guild leaders—with their most trusted elites—gathered at the rendezvous point, joined by Yan Jiyun and Qi Feng’s own squads, making a force of one hundred top players.

Someone must have tipped off Su Qiuming, for he soon arrived with his own elite team.

Standing atop a stone post, Yan Jiyun looked out over the gathering, struck by the impression of the six great sects preparing to storm Bright Summit.

He checked the time—it was the appointed hour with Teacher Qu.

His hand rested on Qi Feng’s shoulder. Arrayed around him were the guild leaders: Qi Yunchu, Chu Mo, Sister Jixiang, Su Qiuming—

He declared, “Time’s up. Let’s go.”

All the squad leaders simultaneously activated the instance: “Let the Chariot Roll.”

The instance had been modified by Teacher Qu and the others through their conscious intervention, stripping away unnecessary steps—there was no equipment selection phase.

Some guild leaders did question the authenticity of this instance. If the game’s creators had set it up as a trap to eliminate their best, they were as good as dead.

Yet, everyone entered fully aware of the risk. They needed to know if the NPC alliance was real.

Cooperating with NPCs would not be so simple.

Teacher Qu and his allies also feared “monitors” among the players, so they would not directly reveal who the true contacts were.

NPCs would appear in the instance with altered appearances, but their consciousness would remain the same.

As the players were thrown into “Let the Chariot Roll,” the scene before them left them confused.

Each team had been separated.

Yet, unexpectedly, their systems worked as usual, and Yan Jiyun noticed his intimacy level with Qi Feng’s main pet had increased again.

[Intimacy: 80/100]